Page 75 of 120
116
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
on the part of district cultural groups. The Council will be expanding its district library service as fast as resources permit. It will furthermore do everything it can to encourage the publication of suitable and wholesome children's literature.
By means of financial subsidies, Art Awards and other avenues, the Council is committed to supporting and uplifting the quality and status of the works of local artists, both in Fine Arts and the Performing Arts.
Perhaps too the Council should study whether there can be more public education programmes in the sports and cultural fields, particularly through the media of television.
In entering the decade of the 1980s, it is hoped that Hong Kong's 5.5 million people will continue to make a significant contribution towards China's modernization, lasting well into the coming century. Our education system has to be upgraded and adapted to the requirements of industrial and trade diversification. Our economic and social system has to evolve according to our needs, while we are at the same time monitoring parallel changes taking place in the nearby provinces of Guangdong and Fujian.
The Urban Council will do its full share to transform Hong Kong Island and Urban Kowloon into an international city of highest standards of sanitation and cleanliness, where sports, recreation, culture and public entertainment are abundant, diverse and suited to the varied tastes of an urban sophisticated population.
I take this opportunity to thank the Director of Urban Services and his staff at all levels for their very fine cooperation in implementing the policies and plans of the Council. Though differences of views sometimes do arise, they have never been so intractable as to dampen the spirit of loyalty and cooperation which has marked the efforts of the Director and the Departmental personnel.
Local Administration
The White Paper on Local Administration envisages the setting up of Urban District Boards, to be concerned with matters ranging from environmental improvement, sports and cultural services, to matters on public housing management, juvenile crime, public transport bottlenecks, and insufficient educational and medical facilities.
Between now and when the Urban District Boards are constituted next year, the Urban Council will be expected to strengthen its planning and liaison machinery so as to provide better and faster service to the District. This process of regionalization will put a heavy strain on the management manpower of the Urban Services Department, which is the executive arm of the Council. However, in terms of getting the district leaders more actively involved in the planning and provision of facilities and services in their respective districts, it will be worth the effort and the expense. The enthusiasm, community spirit and dynamism of district leaders and of the young people should be harnessed for the betterment of the district community.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 75 of 120
117
community spirit and dynamism of district leaders and of the young people should be harnessed for the betterment of the district community.
In Hong Kong, where the concept of the Rule of Law is part of our social-economic system, district leaders have the right of freedom of speech, they have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process of being involved in improving the living standards of their fellow citizens and promoting the wellbeing of their district.
The Urban District Board could well discuss and transmit to Government grass-roots views and concern on many issues, such as inflation, high land prices and high rents, public transport problems, and the need to expand the Home Ownership Scheme at realistic purchase prices and terms that Hong Kong's average income families can afford.
Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
CHAIRMAN (in English): The motion on the Statement of Aims has been proposed and seconded. Now it is open for debate. The first speaker is Mr. BERNACCHI.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English): Mr. Chairman, it looks as if this will be my last speech in the Urban Council at least for another two years. The Reform Club is adamant that it will not put up candidates for the elections to the Urban Council to be elected by so small an electoral, and then to have that fact thrown in the elected candidates' teeth, by saying, how can you purport to represent nearly 6 million persons in Hong Kong when you have been elected by only six thousand voters.
The Reform Club will, however, cooperate with the new machinery laid down for local administration in the White Paper, although we criticized strongly its suggested policies in many ways. It should not have taken more than one year to have had the first election for the Urban Council on a universal suffrage. The White Paper does not even make clear what steps will be taken by the Government to make it easy for the man in the street to register and actually vote at the elections which is vital to the whole scheme. Again there is much to be said for staggered elections, each successful candidate being elected still for a term of 4 years, and elections held every two years for half, rather than elections held every 3 years for the whole of the elected members which could mean in theory a totally different composition of elected members every 3 years. Only by the end of 2 years do new members get acquainted with all the intricacies, very numerous workings and duties of this Council, necessary to make their voice heard in the administration.
Again I frankly do not think it will work, having all the elected members also on the District Boards. When properly formed, the District Boards, at the grassroots will involve as much work as on this Council. I do not think
Page 75 of 120
Page 75Page 76
Page 76 of 120