Page 80 of 135
120
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Council is called to order.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The question was put.
121
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 5.12.1978 were confirmed.
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 December 1978.
MOTIONS
1 MR EDMUND W. H. CHOW, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:-'RESOLVED that the Food Business By-laws (Exemption from By-law 32(1)) Notice 1979 be made under By-law 32(7) of the Food Business By-laws.'
He said (in English):-As Chairman of the Food Hygiene Select Committee, I rise on the motion standing on my name:
"That the Food Business By-laws (Exemption from By-law 32(1)) Notice 1979 be made under By-law 32(7) of the Food Business By-laws.'
This notice will exempt a person who is engaged in the business of bottling or canning edible oil from holding a food factory licence under the Food Business By-laws as this trade presents little health risk; the only process involved is the transfer of imported oil from large drums into small containers by pumping and the risk of contamination through human factors and handling is negligible. This exemption applies to the licensing aspect only, and does not exempt the operator from complying with other provisions of the Food Business By-laws or those of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance. These establishments will, however, still be subject to regular inspections by the health inspectorate and there will be no loss of control over hygiene standards.
With these remarks, I beg to move.
DR P. C. WONG (in English):---Mr Chairman, as Vice-Chairman of the Food Hygiene Select Committee, I second the motion.
The motion was carried unanimously.
2 MR A. ... moved the motion:-'THAT this Council endorse the Statement of Aims for 1979.'
He said (in English):-The Statement of Aims is a declaration of what the Council intends to do. The text is straightforward and comprehensive. The contents are sound and progressive. In effect, these aims are the Council's prime objectives for the ensuing financial year.
Guided by actual working experience, the Urban Services Department draws up the statement anew each year. It sets out what might be done to protect public health, improve the environment and carry out all the many other essential responsibilities in the everyday life of a vibrant city. The select committees in their turn examine conscientiously their respective parts in detail and determine what should be done for a better community life in the anticipated situation next year. There is thus a critical and penetrating study of the need and the capacity to put any or all of the aims into practice. The Standing Committee of the Whole Council puts the parts together in the end. It considers them afresh too; then, when satisfied, it applies the necessary resources to attain the targets or sets about acquiring them to do so properly. Therefore, it is definitely a collective exercise, say what anybody will.
By design, there is a repetition of what must be done on a continuing basis to maintain a high standard of vital city services. It is a useful reminder of basic statutory duties in the midst of many other new and attractive pursuits. There is also much more that is bold and innovative intended to increase the momentum of progress. It is spelled out in response to public expectation of improved living conditions in an affluent city. Consequently, this annual statement is a mixture of the familiar with the new. In practice, there is thus an unceasing search for better ways of doing commonplace tasks, generally very much taken for granted by the public unless something goes wrong; at the same time, there is the firm resolve to strike out in new directions with energy and imagination. This is the substance of progress.
The Annual Conventional Debate is a tradition in this Council. There is a free choice of subjects. Otherwise, the normal rules of debate prescribed by Standing Orders are still applicable.
Those who set the pace here tell Hong Kong in factual and measured terms what the hard-working select committees and sub-committees are doing constructively and what more there is in store for the benefit of the people. This is as it should be. But, Members may treat other subjects as well, even if outside the Council's scope and jurisdiction. Again, this is as it should be.
Page 80
Page 81
Page 81 of 135