Page 62 of 206
104
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. NG: But is it true that a decision has already been taken to demolish the pavilion?
CHAIRMAN: No - not until the report has been received.
(12) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question:
(a) In view of the misleading Press reports relating the recent reorganization of Select Committees to Councillors' attendance at meetings, would the Chairman please state the reasons for the new Select Committee organization, and comment on members' attendance record at meetings? (b) When will a Public Relations Officer be appointed or seconded to this Council to provide reliable information to the Press, and to correct such continued mis-representation which is doing much to confuse the public as to the efficiency and effectiveness of the Urban Council?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:
The recent reorganization of the Council's select committees arose completely from a desire to improve efficiency in the Council by streamlining it - largely by eliminating those Committees which had related responsibilities - thus effecting a reduction in the number of Committees from 17 to 8. It had nothing whatever to do with the attendance record of Members at Committee meetings.
It is too early to say, as yet, whether the reduction in select committees will, in fact, result in better attendance. In theory it should, although this was not the purpose for reorganizing select committees. Future statistics will show the position.
In reply to part (b) of this question, I am aware that the Director of Information Services is anxious to fill the Public Relations post in the Urban Services Department as quickly as possible and I am hopeful to have such an officer join us towards the end of the summer and certainly before the start of the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign.
MR. MACKENZIE: In the meantime, is it the responsibility of the Information Services Department to provide press releases on Urban Council activities?
CHAIRMAN: Such as are required, and which we ourselves don't do.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
105
MR. MACKENZIE: Mr. Chairman, I think the press comment that has sparked my question is known to you. Would it not have been appropriate for the Council to have issued a statement rebutting the arguments put forward in that particular article?
CHAIRMAN: I am sorry I am not clear which article, Mr. MACKENZIE.
MR. MACKENZIE: Well perhaps we won't go into that. The question of a Public Relations Officer for this Council, has it been raised in previous years?
CHAIRMAN: The Department raised this question many, many years ago before the Council itself got around to it, and we are still hopeful we will have one this year.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, isn't there a motion that has been passed many years ago about the engagement of a Public Relations Officer? It was strongly taken up by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN and myself at that time?
CHAIRMAN: I believe so.
MR. JAMES M. H. WU: Mr. Chairman, in view of the "Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign" that you mentioned, would it not be a good proposition to have a Chinese writing press officer or public relations officer in the Urban Council?
CHAIRMAN: I am not sure that we want him to spend his time writing. We have translators for that.
MR. WU: What I mean is somebody who can write Chinese. CHAIRMAN: We have such people already on our staff. I wouldn't want him to waste his time writing letters.
MR. WU: What I am trying to say is that, if the press officer is capable of writing press releases in Chinese, he would be reaching a far greater number of residents in Hong Kong.
CHAIRMAN: Releases would have to be cleared in English before they are translated.
MR. WU: Why should it be cleared in English, Mr. Chairman. CHAIRMAN: Because I want to see what he is saying Mr. Wu.
MR. BERNACCHI: To take up Mr. Wu's line of argument, cannot the press releases be framed in Chinese and just not translated from the English version which most times is not really a proper expression in the Chinese language.
Page 62