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18
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English): -My hearty welcome to Mr. David ALEXANDER, our former Chairman and Director of Urban Services, who is here on a visit. (Applause).
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 19th April, 1977 were confirmed.
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-What the Council does for community betterment depends in good measure on the effectiveness of its select committees. For this reason, all thought given to planning their work can never be too much. Neither can vigilance be relaxed if progress is not to falter, nor can control on execution of projects ever be relinquished.
Select committees deliberate in private. But there is no mystery in doing so "behind closed doors" where discussion is not inhibited and expert opinion is given without fear or favour. For all that, it might well be salutary to throw them open for the people to see for themselves what goes on.
There might then be no more risk of their being taken in by far-fetched promises or misled by garbled versions from self-serving information leakage. Be that as it may, results of the Council's work are everywhere for all to see. So, look about, all who will.
Indeed, the wide-ranging activities all the time organized or sponsored by the Council entail in effect careful preparations behind the scenes. A suggestion is mooted or a programme conceived, and it is considered in committee where a decision is taken. Resources are put together if it finds favour and much groundwork is done by the Urban Services Department in consequence. The public only sees the end product. It may be a market or a playground. It may also be a concert or an exhibition. Or, any of the myriad projects and activities the Council is engaged in developing and presenting for community benefit.
Select committees should review their work regularly to relate it to their annual statement of aims. Take stock of their achievements and also determine why there has been lack of progress or even out-right failures should such be the case. Without critically examining their own record, there can be no assurance that the application of resources will yield maximum beneficial results to the community.
19
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The same
Successful as any select committee may be, there always lurks the danger that it may fall into a rut and become complacent. Order of business, the familiar papers, the old problems, and the true-and-tried solutions, so resort is usually had to routine as the easy way out. All this is predictable. But, a novel approach can always be found, a change of attitude made and a new direction taken if called for to better the lot of the people. Much can be achieved with imagination even in doing the same work. Instead of old habits of thought, more vision in evaluation, more boldness in planning and more resolution in implementation would gain higher goals and ensure the onward march of progress here. For, there is always the need to do better all the time. And, the people rightly expect more from an affluent society. Only by honestly assessing the opportunities and exploiting them with purposeful application of resources can good progress be made. This is the challenge to our select committees in the financial year that has just begun.
Certainly, let the Council first do well all that it has been entrusted to do. Otherwise, there could be no tenable claim for more powers and responsibilities. Hard and effective work with clearly defined objectives is the sensible and intelligent way to gain public goodwill and confidence. Not by the hollow clamour of the vociferous few, who tend to shirk work in private yet seem to ask for more in public, but only by dint of solid service to the community by all together will there be public support for an extension in scope and an increase of responsibility in due time. Surely, a pre-condition to be expected.
The Council has taken strong strides right from the start four years ago. The distance is long. And, there are many hurdles to clear. But, some may be running out of breath already, perhaps for lack of stamina. Yet, the pace must be kept up sturdily. For, the grand prize is community betterment. Ever onward, then!
(Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point.)
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:
Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of April, 1977.
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