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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
So far this is the policy we follow up to now. If I may say so, personally, I think Mr. SULKE's suggestion is very timely, in anticipation that the Council would face a deficit in March 1984 and this may open to a new thinking in the policy of how to finance Council's expenditures.
Mr. SULKE's point in considering a universal subsidization across the board after matching the total administrative costs with the total licence fees, was discussed in the last meeting of the Finance Select Committee which came to a conclusion that detailed legal opinion from the Attorney General's office should be sought in the first instance. Therefore may I now say that Mr. SULKE's points in his question will be seriously considered in the weeks to come.
(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG and Mr. Augustine S. K. CHUNG arrived during Mr. Peter P. F. CHAN's reply.)
MR. SULKE (in English):—May I thank Mr. CHAN through you, Mr. Chairman, for the encouraging reply. May I ask you, Mr. Chairman, whether you would be willing to ask the Central Government to reconsider the policy on this matter, especially as they have already modified the principles in relation to the mode of vehicle licences, to allow this Council to increase charges for liquor restaurant licences and over and above our costs.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—I will refer your suggestion to the Finance Select Committee and any other select committees for consideration first. In this instance, I do not wish to anticipate any decision which will be arrived at by the select committees or by the Standing Committee of the Whole.
MR. LAU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I want to know whether the cost on the clearance of hawkers could be categorized as management cost and has that been taken into consideration in deciding hawker fees.
MR. P. F. CHAN (in Cantonese):—That has been included. Before the increase in the licence fees for hawkers, the subsidy was about 62%, but after the increase, the subsidy was about 57%, so it has been included.
3. MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in English):—As the Hawker Management Training Course has been established for the concerned staff, I should like to know:
(a) How many subjects are in the syllabus?
(b) How long does the course last?
(c) To what extent have the staff benefited from the scheme?
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, replied as follows (in Cantonese):—This question concerns the syllabus and duration of the training course in hawker management organized by the Urban Services Department and the extent to which staff benefit from this training.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The official title of the training course on hawker management is the 'Basic Training Course for General Duties Teams'. The course provides basic but essential training to members of General Duties Teams on the operational and administrative aspects of hawker control, through practical sessions, lectures, demonstrations, seminars and visits. Subjects include physical education, foot drill, self-defence, patrol duties, raids, first-aid, use of equipment, conduct and discipline, hawker legislation and procedure, court procedure, and other subjects related to hawker control and management.
The course lasts for six weeks.
Members of the General Duties Teams who have completed the training course are better equipped to carry out their hawker control duties more confidently and effectively and to tackle different situations in such a way that unnecessary friction with the public is avoided.
RESUMPTION OF ANNUAL CONVENTIONAL DEBATE
CHAIRMAN (in English):—In exercising my right of reply at this year's Annual Conventional Debate on the Statement of Aims, I would like to assure Members that their views expressed last month on subjects which are outside the statutory responsibilities of the Urban Council have already been forwarded to Government for consideration and whatever action that would eventually be taken by the Policy Branch or Department concerned.
On matters within the scope of the Urban Council, Members spoke from their first-hand knowledge and wide experience on virtually all aspects related to the Statement of Aims. The Urban Council Secretariat has already collated the very many useful suggestions and comments of Members, and have referred them to the City Services Department and the Cultural Services Department for further study and referral to the respective Select Committees where required.
I therefore propose to do no more than to highlight or emphasize some aspects of Council's work raised during the debate which I consider need particular attention during the next financial year.
Hawkers
Last month, the Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee and other Councillors spoke with much knowledge on the manner in which the Council is carrying out its responsibilities with regard to hawkers. This is a subject in which all the District Boards have given much attention and the Urban Council is grateful for their support and advice in keeping the hawker situation under control.
The Council will continue to press ahead to rebuild the older market buildings into large market complexes in all urban districts, and to take off the streets as many hawkers as is feasible. The Council is not holding up any
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