TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 140

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SECRET

SECRET

HICK

FM HONG KONG 010505Z FEB 94

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 262 OF 1 FEBRUARY 1934

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

Rr

TORICOPY

RECEIVED IN AFGISTRY

-2 FEB 1984

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PEGISTRY

Sation Taken

PA

No

RA

HCEB

Shutter

25

See 35

MIPT.

24

THE FOLLOWING IS THE DRAFT OF THE STATEMENT IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE CHIEF SECRETARY SHALL MAKE IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 15

FEBRUARY NEXT:

BEGINS:

-STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY, 15TH FEBRUARY 1984

THE GREEN PAPER ON (NEXT 5 WORDS UNDERLINED) A PATTERN OF DISTRICT

ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN JUNE 1980, SET OUT THE

REASONS FOR CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION. IN

PARTICULAR, IT DREW ATTENTION TO THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF ADMIN-

ISTRATION THAT HAD DEVELOPED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF HONG KONG, TO

INCREASED PROSPERITY, BETTER EDUCATION, HIGHER ASPIRATIONS AND

THE NEED TO BUILD COHESIVE COMMUNITIES. SPECIFIC PROPOSALS TO

PRODUCE A MORE COHERENT FRAMEWORK WERE THEN EMBODIED IN THE WHITE

PAPER (NEXT 4 WORDS UNDERLINED) DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG

KONG OF JANUARY 1981 AND THESE RESULTED IN THE FORMATION IN 1982

OF DISTRICT BOARDS, WITH AN ELECTED ELEMENT, IN EACH DISTRICT OF

HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

2. IN THEIR SHORT EXISTENCE THE DISTRICT 30ARDS HAVE DEMONSTRATED

THEIR VALUE AS AN ORGANISATION FOR QUOTE CONTACT, DISCUSSION,

STIMULUS AND ADVICE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES IN EACH DISTRICT AND

THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR MANAGEMENT AND

IMPROVEMENT UNQUOTE.

3. IN YOUR ADDRESS AT THE OPENING OF THE PRESENT SESSION OF

THIS COUNCIL YOU SAID, SIR, THAT WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME QUOTE REMAINS SUITED TO HONG

KONG'S CHANGING NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES UNQUOTE AND ADDED

THAT YOU HAD CALLED FOR AN EXAMINATION OF QUOTE THE EXISTING

ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCAL ADMINISTRATION AND THE ORGANISATION OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE DECISIONS

OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE ADVICE OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS UNQUOTE.

4. DURING THE COURSE OF THIS REVIEW THE DISTRICT BOARDS

THEMSELVES AT A SERIES OF RECENT MEETINGS HAVE BEEN GIVEN

AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR OWN VIEWS AND IDEAS FOR

THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION. THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOW, THEREFORE, COME CERTAIN CONCLUSIONS.

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15.