XN000022-1993-01-19 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1993

1

CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE IS MODEST

AND NOT CONFRONTATIONAL

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THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PACKAGE IS MODEST AND IS NOT PROVOCATIVE OR CONFRONTATIONAL, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR ALBERT LAM CHI-CHIU, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

SPEAKING AT A MEET-THE-MEDIA SESSION TO REVIEW THE WORK OF THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION (CNTA) LAST YEAR, MR LAM STRESSED THAT THE POLITICAL BLUEPRINT WAS "WELL WITHIN THE BASIC LAW"

THE REFORMS, HE SAID, WERE NOT JUST IMPORTANT TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BUT TO EVERYONE IN THE TERRITORY.

WOULD DO THEIR THEM IN A CONSTRUCTIVE,

IN THIS CONTEXT, HE SAID THE CNTA OFFICIALS BEST TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER.

"AFTER 11 YEARS OF DEVELOPING THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME, WHICH IS NOW FIRMLY ESTABLISHED, WE BELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE READY FOR A GREATER DEGREE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE RUNNING OF THEIR OWN AFFAIRS.

"THIS WILL HELP TO ENSURE THAT THE BEST IN HONG KONG, SUCH AS THE RULE OF LAW AND AN ACCOUNTABLE ADMINISTRATION, IS MAINTAINED, LAM SAID.

MR

IN ORDER THAT A MORE OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IS PRACTISED, MR LAM SAID AS FROM APRIL, ALL, 19 DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMEN WOULD BE INVITED TO SIT ON

DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS AS ORSERVERS.

AT THE SAME TIME, DISTRICT RESPECTIVE DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS,

OFFICERS WILL CONSULT THEIR ON ALI, DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME

FURTHERMORE, AT LEAST 50 PER CENT OF THE DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL BE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

REGIONAL SECRETARY

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY THE IS THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION NOT TO CHANGE ANY DISTRICT BOARD BOUNDARIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THIS MEANS THAT THE BOUNDARIES FOR SHA TIN, KWAI TSING, TSUEN WAN AND ISLANDS WILL REMAIN INTACT.

"WE HAVE LISTENED CAREFULLY TO VIEWS EXPRESSED BY DISTRICT BOARDS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES AND ACCEPT THEIR VALIDITY," MR LAM SAID.

TURNING TO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR LAM SAID IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAD BEEN INCREASING FOCUS ON IMPROVING THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF RURAL DWELLERS.

/"THE MOST