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which they will have to be accountable to the Council, since such resources are paid for out of public funds.
Expansion of the Urban Council in the New Territories
During the Debate, many Councillors spoke in favour of having the statutory responsibilities of the Urban Council being extended to the New Territories.
With hardly any exception, members of the Urban Council are in favour of the Council's responsibilities, which basically cover environmental hygiene, culture and entertainment, sports and recreational matters, being extended to serve the New Territories residents as well.
An extension of the Council's jurisdiction into the New Territories would definitely boost cultural and recreational activities there in terms of quality and quantity.
Again, with hardly any exception, Urban Councillors believe that expanding the Council's role to cover the New Territories has greater merit in the long run, especially in view of the 1997 situation, rather than the setting up of a separate New Territories Council.
Naturally, if the Urban Council were able to elect a number of its members to the Legislative Council, in addition to those Urban Councillors appointed by the Governor, such an expanded territory-wide Council would be able to make its voice even more effectively heard in the Central Government Administration.
And of course, in the light of its experience with the urban District Boards, the Urban Council could co-operate closely with the eight New Territories District Boards. Also, it would seem desirable that there should be some form of relationship between the Heung Yee Kuk and the Urban Council which could take place when consideration is given by Government to the list of nominated Urban Councillors from the New Territories.
Urban Council's Image
Mr. Walter SULKE called for stronger leadership on the part of senior members of the Urban Council. Because of the narrow range of matters for which this Council is responsible as compared to the responsibilities of other cities, such as Osaka, Shanghai, Brisbane, Birmingham, Manchester, Hamburg or San Francisco, it is all too easy for the Urban Council Chairman to play too dominant a role both within and outside the Council. When such a situation takes place it does not leave much room for other members of the Council to have their potentiality developed and to be given the opportunity to be seen to participate in the work of the Council for which they have specific responsibilities.
The Council should be seen by the public as a corporate team leadership where its various functions and activities are implemented by the committee
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chairmen and the members of such committees. In the circumstances, the public would come to realize and quite rightly that what has been accomplished to improve the living standards of the community is in terms of the Council as a whole rather than as the accomplishment of just one or only a few individual Councillors.
For the immediate future, the Urban Council will:
(a) Firstly, as a statutory authority, remain firmly independent of the Central Government;
(b) Secondly, play its complementary role as part of the Hong Kong Government to serve the people in the larger context of Hong Kong as a free port and international financial centre; and
(c) Thirdly, seek and press ahead with what has to be done in the future self-administration of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong 1997
The Prime Minister, Mrs. Margaret THATCHER, has given an assurance that Britain's aim is to agree with China, through negotiations, and to reach an agreement that will maintain the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong in a way acceptable to the people of Hong Kong, to this parliament (British) and to the people of China'.
Hong Kong community leaders would do well to study whatever information is available on the progress of the negotiations and to come forward with suggestions on preserving the Hong Kong life-style, and to ensure that the Hong Kong economic, political and social systems evolve between now and 1997, and for 50 years after 1997, in a manner:
Firstly, that is acceptable to Hong Kong people;
Secondly, that will promote China's modernization under her unique form of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and
Thirdly, that will preserve Hong Kong's international status as a free enterprise city and free port.
As mentioned by Mrs. Selina CHOW during the Debate, the time is ripe for Britain to progressively lift the cloak of confidentiality on proposals for the Sino-British solution for Hong Kong's future after 1997. Hong Kong's 5 million people should not be presented with a fait accompli where they will have no other choice but to accept virtually everything that is disclosed to them at the final stage of the negotiations when it will be too late for any meaningful changes to be considered or accepted. After all, what is at stake is the future of Hong Kong people in the wider context of China's modernization and China's future.
From various 'official' and 'unofficial' leaks emanating from London and Beijing, it appears that Britain will be prepared to return sovereignty of the whole territory to China by 1997 and that China would allow the Hong Kong
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