11
Wednesday, February 9, 1972
URBAN COUNCIL
FULL-FLEDGED LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Or An Advisory Body To The Urban Services Department
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The Hon. K.S. Lo said today there was doubt whether Government
wanted its future Urban Council to remain as an advisory body to the Urban
Services Department or to be developed into a full-fledged Local Government.
He was speaking in the Legislative Council on the motion to adopt
the White Paper on the Urban Council.
He pointed out that the White Paper under debate was supposed to
be the "blue print" for the future development of the Urban Council.
"However, after reading it, I am, myself, not sure as to what sort
of creature the Government wants it to be. Does it want it to be a fish or
a bird?"
If Government was more interested in keeping the Urban Council as
an advisory body then it had to be said openly so that its present council
members should not raise questions or engage in debates on subjects which
were beyond their terms of reference, Mr. Lo said.
If that were the case, they should not be asked to shoulder any
financial responsibility whatsoever, as that would be inconsistent with the
duties of an advisory body, he added.
"On the other hand, if it is the Government's intention that the
present Urban Council should be eventually developed into a responsible and
autonomous Local Government, then it should be given a fair chance to succeed
right from the start," he stressed.
Mr. Lo pointed out that there were several indications in the White
Paper which led one to believe that that was the intention.
/Another