XN000022-1994-06-03 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 1994

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HK ARTS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BILL GAZETTED

THE HONG KONG ARTS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (HKADC) BILL, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNCIL AS A BODY DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTS IN HONG KONG, WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JUNE 15.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE RECREATION AND CULTURE BRANCH EXPLAINED THAT THE AIM WAS TO ESTABLISH THE COUNCIL AS A STATUTORY BODY WITH EXECUTIVE POWERS, ITS OWN STAFF AND DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANAGEMENT AND DISBURSEMENT OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE ΤΟ IT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTS WITH EFFECT FROM APRIL 1 NEXT YEAR, SUBJECT TO THE BILL BEING ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT A WORKING GROUP HAD BERN SET UP IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR TO DRAW UP DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE HKADC INCLUDING ITS MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES, TERMS OF REFERENCE, FUNCTIONS, OBJECTIVES, STRUCUTRE, STAFFING AND MODUS OPERAND1.

UPON COMPLETION OF ITS WORK, THE WORKING GROUP HAD PREPARED A PROGRESS REPORT SETTING OUT THE DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK AND MODUS OPERANDI OF THE FUTURE HRADC.

THE PROGRESS REPORT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING GROUP IN MARCH.

BY THE

THE GOVERNOR HAD INDICATED HIS · AGREEMENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT THAT THE HKADO SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED INITIALLY AS A NON-STATUTORY BODY IN APRIL 1994 AND LATER AS A STATUTORY BODY BY APRIL 1995 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRAMEWORK SET OUT IN THE REPORT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PRIME MISSION OF THE HKADC WAS TO

PLAN; PROMOTE AND SUPPORT THE BROAD DEVELOPMENT AND APPRECIATION OF AND PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS, PLACING PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE LITERARY, PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS, WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

THE DETAILED POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE HKADC ARE SET OUT CLEARLY IN THE BILL AND PROVIDE THE HKADC WITH A STRONG MANDATE ON WHICH TO BASE ITS WORK.

HE SAID THE HKADC WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE 20 16 INCLUDING THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN WOULD WHILST FOUR WOULD BE EX-OFFICIO.

MEMBERS, OF WHOM BE NON-OFFICIAL

THE BILL