TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 45

GPS....2000

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG 16074OZ FEB 84

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG REP BRUSSELS

TELEGRAM NUMBER 5 OF 16 FEBRUARY 1984

HAR 01113

1 FEC 1984

DESK OFF

INDEX

ROUTINE FCO, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, NEW YORK

RCF: HKG/GT/46

SUBJECT: REVIEW OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG

1. PROPOSALS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM OF LOCAL

ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG WERE ANNOUNCED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY

IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 15TH FEBRUARY 1984.

2. THE FULL TEXT OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S STATEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:-

PROPOSALS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION

SIR,

то

THE GREEN PAPER ON (NEXT SEVEN WORDS UNDERLINED) A PATTERN OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONGKONG WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN JUNE 1980, DESCRIBED THE REASONS WHY IT WAS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE CERTAIN CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYSTEM OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN EXISTENCE AT THAT TIME. IN PARTICULAR, THE GREEN PAPER DREW ATTENTION TO THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS OF ADMIN- ISTRATION THAT HAD DEVELOPED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF HONG KONG, THE INCREASED PROSPERITY AND TO THE GREATLY IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BY THEN ENJOYED AND, BY WAY OF A RESPONSE TO HIGHER ASPIRATIONS, TO THE NEED TO BUILD COHESIVE COMMUNITIES. SPECIFIC PROPOSALS TO PRODUCE A MORE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF LOCAL ADMIN- ISTRATION WERE THEN PUBLISHED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON (NEXT FOUR WORDS UNDERLINED) DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONGKONG IN JANUARY 1981. THESE LED TO THE FORMATION IN 1982 OF DISTRICT BOARDS, WITH AN ELECTED ELEMENT, IN EACH DISTRICT IN HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND

THE NEW TERRITORIES.

2. DURING THEIR SHORT EXISTENCE THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE DEMON- STRATED THE IR VALUE FOR, AND I QUOTE FROM THE WHITE PAPER, 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 UNQUGIE AND YOU 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 RESTRICTED

14.

63)

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