TNAG-2005-FCO40-2853-Hong-Kong-political-parties-1990 — Page 37

Translation

1607/E/90

(An extract from Hong kong Economic Journal dated 18.9.90 and 19.9.90)

A closer look at the Kwai Tsing District Board

under the leadership of the democrats

by TANG Kam-kei

As the 1991 election is drawing near, the democrat groups are

holding frequent talks on cooperation. If the democrats are successfully

integrated, their influence on the three-tier system must not be overlooked.

Although the democrats only have very remote chances of rising to power in

the central authorities, they have obtained over half of the seats of the

Kwai Tsing District Board (KTDB) in the 1988 DB election. The performance

of the KTDB over the past 2 years will give us an idea of their achievments

or otherwise and the problems they are facing.

Before 1988, the democrats could only be the minority in any

consultative or policy-making committee or hardly had any chance to participate

at all, such as in the Exco. However, in the 1988 DB election, the "Kwai

Tsing Fifteen" coming from various democrat groups had beaten the conservatives.

Together, all 15 of them, snatched up over half of the 26 seats of the KTDB

which has thus become the first district board "led" by democrats.

The success of the "Kwai Tsing Fifteen" has aroused the concern

of a number of LegCo members who regard the KTDB as an example of democrats

"seizing power". According to KTDB Chairman LEE Wing-tat who is also one of

"the Fifteen", they (the fifteen) attach the utmost importance to their

performance over the past 3 years because it will deal a blow to the

democrats if the public are dissatisfied with the District Board under their

leadership. What has the KTDB achieved over the past 3 years under the

leadership of the democrats?

Are the residents satisfied with their performance?