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Thanks to its austerious efforts in the past three years, the Urban Services Department has now become a leaner organization than before. With the commissioning of new venues in the coming year, a larger, yet still modest, percentage of expansion in staff size is inevitable. Nevertheless, the Council will continue to exercise due care and scrutiny in examining staff expansion proposals in the future. At the same time, the use of technologically advanced equipment will be considered, such as that of micro-processors in clerical operations. Indeed approval has now been given to the computerization of our administrative functions. In this connection, a review of procedures and changes in our routine matters of operating is essential. We must be prepared to accept fundamental changes to be implemented gradually to improve our operations.
Salary Award Restraint
Given the present conditions of economic difficulty faced by the private sector, the Government should avoid any increases in direct taxation and exercise restraint in awarding salary increases to the civil service. Considerations should be given to freezing the salaries of civil servants in the upper income bracket while awarding a modest percentage to staff in the lower bracket for them to meet inflation. This will ensure that the Government, being the largest employer in our economy, will not accentuate the increase in the labour component of our cost structure. Taking the lead from Government, this will give our private enterprises a better cost base to compete in the world markets. In face of our major trading partners' will to stimulate their economies, we could hope for a speedy recovery in turn. Amidst the present economic climate, it is important that the public and the private sectors co-operate for a better economic future. Let us work towards that objective.
Farewell
While we are looking towards the future, let us not forget the past. On behalf of the Administration Select Committee, I would like to pay tribute to Mr. Brian WILSON, Director of Urban Services, for his distinguished support to the Council and wish him a happy and healthy retirement in June.
I support the motion.
(Mr. CHAN Chi-kwan arrived during Dr. Kim CHAM's address.)
MR. STEPHEN M. L. LAU (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman,
Prospects of Hong Kong's Economic Prosperity
Hong Kong may be said to have survived the turmoils of 1982, safe and sound. However, behind the superficial boom, the threat of the very disturbing trade protectionism still exists, and some ignorant people who take pleasure in others' misfortune are deliberately making shocking statements detrimental to Hong Kong. (This of course not includes Dr. HUANG.) In truth, Hong Kong's future is secure, providing a more favourable environment for investments than our neighbouring countries. Affected by the world recession, exports have indeed slowed down, but with the sharp decline of interest rates in both Europe and the United States, the world economy is expected to improve gradually. After a period of adjustment in relation to Hong Kong's over-heated internal economy, it is time to consider long-term investments in the manufacturing industries. I therefore hope that Government will review its own structure and indirectly give a lead to the public enterprises in eliminating redundant staff and waste, so as to maintain competitiveness and hence prosperity.
Co-ordination of Policies
From the aforesaid, it leads me to the problems of co-ordination in many aspects between government policies and those of the Urban Council. Duplication of administration is only too common and people are therefore confused and do not know what to do. Moreover, publicity for individual departmental achievements has also overshadowed the image of Government as a whole.
Hawker control is an obvious example of duplication of work. In urban areas under the jurisdiction of the Urban Council, there are markets, hawker stalls with fixed pitches, itinerant hawkers as well as numerous unlicensed ones. In housing estates under the control of the Housing Department, there are also markets and unlicensed hawkers. In areas under the District Boards, there are illegal structures on Crown lands and cooked-food stalls in lanes behind factory buildings. And, let us not forget the New Territories. At present, there is a population of about 3.5 million in urban areas and 1.5 million in the New Territories. In the next few years, more people will be moving to the New Territories where housing estates will be built. To deal with the hawker problem, a balance of supply and demand of their services should be maintained, and one authority be charged with co-ordinating the policies while another, with co-ordinating control measures. However, in areas where supply and demand are balanced, no more hawkers should be allowed to trade in the street. The law enforcement authorities should take into consideration the unfair competition caused to other people by illegal hawking. It is showy and unrealistic to rely on markets built in urban areas by the Council to solve the hawker problem. There is no overall planning, suitable locations to build the markets, nor resolute Government support. I suggest that the Council hand over the work of hawker control to Government as soon as possible, or do away with hawker licensing, to be replaced by other means of control by Government. Another example is seen in the cultural, recreational and sports services. Government should consider setting up a central agency to save duplication of work. It is of great importance to cultivate in the young people a taste for sports. Participation in physical fitness exercises should be popularized, whereas cultural entertainment programmes should be mainly spectator-oriented and entertaining. As most District Boards have set up their own cultural and
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