XN000022-1993-03-19 — Page 10

FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1993

SAID.

"WE PLAN TO HOLD THE FIRST REVIEW IN TWO YEARS' TIME, MR LI

ON THE WAY FORWARD, MR LI SAID HE WOULD INVITE ALL ORGANISATIONS WHICH HAD AN INTEREST IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT то BECOME SUBSCRIBERS.

"ORGANISATIONS MAY NEED TIME TO CONSIDER THE CONTENTS OF THE CHARTER IN GREATER DETAIL. THE COMMISSION INTENDS то HOLD A SUBSCRIPTION CEREMONY IN THE SUMMER TO MARK THE FORMAL LAUNCHING THE CHARTER, HE SAID.

THE COMMISSION IS DRAWING UP DETAILS OF THE CEREMONY.

OF

ON THE BACKGROUND OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHARTER, MR LI SAID SINCE THE RELEASE OF THE DRAFT CHARTER FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN EARLY 1992, THE COMMISSION RECEIVED POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS AND THERE WAS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE PRINCIPLES ENSHRINED IN THE CHARTER.

THE COMMISSION AMENDED THE DRAFT CHARTER IN THE LIGHT OF THE

COMMENT RECEIVED.

OUTLINING THE CHANGES, MR LI SAID: "APART FROM THE TEXTUAL AMENDMENTS, A NUMBER OF POINTS ARE WORTH NOTING.'

T

"FIRST, WE HAVE ADDED A PREFACE TO CLARIFY THE NATURE OF THE CHARTER AND ROLE OF SUBSCRIBERS.

"SECONDLY, WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUNG PEOPLE; AND THIRDLY, IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CONCERN OVER THE NEED TO PROMOTE YOUNG PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHINESE CULTURE, WE HAVE ENHANCED THE RELEVANT SECTIONS BY MAKING A SPECIFIC REFERENCE ΤΟ CHINESE CULTURE," HE SAID.

THE SETTING UP OF THE COMMISSION ON YOUTH AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHARTER FOR YOUTH WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1989.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CHARTER IS TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE BEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES IN EDUCATION, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FITNESS, INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE AND TO PROMOTE CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF A DRAFT CHARTER FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN EARLY 1992, A REVISED CHARTER WAS SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TO THE CHARTER.

THE

TODAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE WAS HELD TO INTRODUCE THE CHARTER то THE MEDIA IN ADVANCE. COPIES OF THE CHARTER WELL BE AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT DISTRICT OFFICES FROM THE LATTER HALF OF APRIL THIS YEAR.

ORGANISATIONS WHICH HAVE AN INTEREST IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WILL SHORTLY RECEIVE ADVANCE COPIES OF THE CHARTER.

FOR ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT THE COMMISSION ON YOUTH ON TEL 835 1929.

SECRETARIAT OF

THE

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