*****************************************************

The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, today (Tuesday) hosted a dinner at Government House in honour of the former Chairmen of the Urban Council and the Regional Council, who had played a key role in developing a network of municipal services for and enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong.

Seven former Chairmen attended the dinner. They were Mr Hilton Cheong-leen, Mr Cheung Yan-lung, Mr Gerry Forsgate, Mr Lam Wai-keung, Mr Lau Wong-fat, Mr Ronald Leung, and Mr A de O Sales.

Mr Tung took the opportunity to thank the former Chairmen and Members of the two Councils for the work they had done over the years in providing municipal, sport and cultural activities serving the needs of the Hong Kong people.

In the past decades, the Urban Council had performed an important role in improving our living environment. It had provided civic centre facilities and library and museum services to enrich our arts and culture. In recent years, the Council had also done a lot of work in improving market, sport and leisure facilities in the older districts.

Since its inception in 1986, the Regional Council had developed and provided a wide range of cultural, recreational and municipal facilities and services to cater for the needs of the New Territories.

Mr Tung noted that with the change of time, the growing aspiration of our people and Hong Kong developing into a modern metropolitan city, it was necessary to review the provision of municipal services. Furthermore, following the development of representative government in the past decades, some of the functions of the three-tier constitutional structure had overlapped, making it necessary to reorganise and streamline the structure.

"With the establishment of a revised structure, the Government will continue to pursue its objective to improve the provision of food and environmental hygiene services. The new framework will facilitate better coordinated and more efficient, and hence more cost-effective delivery of municipal services.

Mr Tung stressed that streamlining would not weaken public participation in community affairs. "The Government seeks to strengthen communication and cooperation with the District Councils, so as to enrich community life and increase community participation," he said.

Government officials attending the dinner were the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan; the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr David Lan; the Secretary for the Environment and Food, Mrs Lily Yam; and the Information Coordinator, Mr Stephen Lam.

Photo: The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, tonight hosted a dinner at Government House in honour of the former Chairmen of the Urban Council and Regional Council, who had played a key role in developing a network of municipal services for and enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong. Seven former Chairmen attended the dinner. They were Mr Hilton Cheong-leen, Mr Cheung Yan-lung, Mr Gerry Forsgate, Mr Lam Wai-keung, Mr Lau Wong-fat, Mr Ronald Leung, and Mr A de O Sales.

End/Tuesday, February 1, 2000

NNNN