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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
However what remains their most important task is to consolidate their artistic quality and rapport with their audience here in Hong Kong, and this is where the Urban Council and the Cultural Services Department can play a key role not only in bearing the financial burden, but also in making sure that the direction they take are right.
It was in this spirit that the Council insisted on the appointment of Artistic Directors for both the Repertory Company and the Dance Company and music director for the newly formed Hong Kong Chorus. It was felt that these key posts must be filled so that the Companies could be spurred on to new heights of achievement.
As a result Dr. Daniel YANG has been appointed Artistic Director of the Repertory Company, Miss CHIANG Ching Artistic Director of the Dance Company and Mr. Henry SHEK Music Director of the Hong Kong Chorus.
A technical director Mr. James MAK was also appointed to oversee the technical production of the Companies.
With the completion of many venues both in the Urban area and the New Territories, and a growing awareness of the arts in the District Boards, there will no doubt be a growing demand for the services of our Companies. In order to ensure memorable performances are staged so as to cultivate a following amongst audiences of all levels and age groups, they must aim to achieve standard of excellence wherever they go. Apart from the quality of performance, the technical support, and the artistic direction necessary, we must not forget the facilities and equipment which are essential for professional production, and the careful promotion which is required to induce and prepare audiences.
The updating of equipment is particularly necessary for the older venues so that there will be no discrepancy in standards of presentation staged in the old and the new venues. It seems that there is a need for an ongoing assessment of the adequacy of existing facilities by the management of venues.
The primary function of the Performing Companies is to provide culture and entertainment through their presentations. But it is not their sole function. Hopefully by producing performances that are special and imaginative, they would inspire interested members of the public to assume a positive role in activating the cultural development of Hong Kong by forming their own groups. When that happens, Urban Council should be on hand to assist by providing the funds, the facilities and the expertise when called upon to do so.
To some extent this is being done already. However I feel we can go further in the post-mortem of each presentation to assess the dedication, artistic standard and the acceptance by the local audience of each group. Such assessment should form the basis of a rating system whereby future request from these groups should be considered. I have little doubt that such a system would serve as healthy incentive to various groups in the pursuit of standards. At the same time less popular groups could be persuaded to use either less dates in the major venues or to move to smaller venues, thus eliminating wastage of resources.
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Last week in Tuen Mun, shopkeepers demonstrated their dissatisfaction with illegal hawkers and enforcement bodies by setting up stalls alongside these hawkers. Fortunately this episode has not been repeated in the Urban area. There is however a moral to the story, and that is, that there is something inherently unjust and perhaps outdated about existing hawker system. Why should the shopkeeper have to contend with rent and long term commitment when the hawker, who may be selling exactly the same merchandise be exempted from these responsibilities? Do consumers necessarily benefit from it all? In other words, do hawkers pass on their savings to the consumers? Why are hawkers exempted from paying profit tax?
Within our Statement of Aims relating to policy on street traders, we have reiterated the intention to dissociate social welfare from hawking. On the other hand we are still allowing hawkers to trade on street by paying $20 or $30 a day for license fees. Illegal hawkers could save even that, if they are alert enough.
We do not need the hawkers lining up on Queen's Road to tell us that the situation is getting out of hand.
We must come up with a long term solution to this problem. Just increasing the size of the G.D. Team is not altogether adequate. We must get to the root of the problem.
The crux of the matter is present policy breeds the paradox that licenses guarantee profit and because new licenses are not being issued and there is no severe deterrent against illegal hawking, newcomers are prepared to risk it.
Drastic measures are called for.
Hawking is trading, and therefore should be subject to commercial principles which are generally applicable to other businesses. In other words hawkers' expenses should be pegged to the location and potential traffic of their stalls plus management fees which other shopkeepers have to bear. It is logical to say therefore that there is room for further increases in license fees to offset the percentage of subsidy presently borne by the Council and indirectly borne by rate-payers. Moreover profits are profits, and should be subject to tax. Furthermore, licenses should be made available. All new licenses should be tendered, so that newcomers will not be forced to operate illegally. Hopefully this might have the effect of persuading existing hawkers to set up business in the many vacant shops presently available for relative low rents.
It must be acknowledged that if the Council does decide to adopt this philosophy, it should ensure two very important means of protection to the public and the legal hawkers.
(1) By designating more land as temporary bazaars and pedestrian precincts for re-ordering exercises.
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