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District Boards should be maintained, with the terms of reference of each body clearly defined so as to avoid overlapping or conflicts of duties. Apart from that, the capacity of District Boards as consultative bodies should be strengthened, and the allowances for District Board members revised as soon as possible so that they will be better able to serve the public efficiently.
(3) Expansion of library services
Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Library Select Committee, I am glad to report to you and members that our Committee is steadily reaching our target in the provision of library services. If construction of market complexes continues smoothly, by 1990s, the Council will be able to provide one standard library for every 200,000 of the population. With an annual acquisition of 220,000 books, we hope to reach a per capita provision of 0.7 in 1992.
In early 1987, three small static libraries will be established in Lok Fu, Hong Ning Road and Tai Kok Tsui.
The Lockhart Road District Library is opening on 12 January 1987.
In 1987/88, two small static libraries will be established in Tsz Wan Shan and Kowloon City. The district libraries in Ngau Chi Wan, Po On Road in Sham Shui Po and Tsat Tsz Mui Road will be completed as scheduled.
As regards computerization of library services, as expertise in Chinese word-processing has developed to a mature stage, our Committee after conducting a review has approved the plan to specially appoint personnel to study for the purpose of acquiring the best computer system. We hope to obtain from our computer supplier in early 1987 an overall plan which, if feasible, will be followed by the allocation of funds. Our library services will then enter a new stage with improved quality. If automation in our library services should prove to be successful, we should consider sharing our success with the Regional Council by assisting in its computerization programme.
To improve library services, we have to effectively utilize human resources. As we all know, the running of libraries requires professional knowledge. Thus although our library staff need not all possess professional qualifications, it will be better if they receive training in work such as cataloguing and displaying of books before they take up their jobs. But as the majority of our library staff belong to the general grades and are posted from one department to another every now and then, the standard of our library services is to certain extent affected. I therefore suggest library staff be incorporated into departmental grades to avoid the drain of experienced staff.
The ever expansion in library services in recent years has resulted in the shortage of staff. The establishment for various grades needs to be strengthened. Of higher urgency is the creation of two additional posts of Chief Deputy Librarian and several additional posts of Assistant Chief Librarian under the Chief Librarian to assist in administration and development.
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As libraries are not just open from nine to five, members of the staff have to work on shift even during holidays which is very hard for them. Besides proposing a vote of thanks to them, I would also suggest that they be granted allowances or rewards for the sacrifices they have made.
(4) Control on the sale of objectionable publications by news vendors
I would like to draw your attention once again to the sale of objectionable publications by news vendors. Being the licensing authority, it is the Council's responsibility to make sure that the licensees are observing the regulations. I have spoken on this topic over the past two years and firmly believe that the Council can assist the government in controlling the sale of objectionable publications through concrete actions amending the by-law on licensing of news vendors to prohibit the sale of objectionable publications so as to prevent them from corrupting the minds of our young people. Only when this is done will our spending of hundreds of millions of dollars every year on cultural and recreational facilities and activities as well as library services etc. be meaningful and worthwhile.
Mr. Chairman, apart from the above, I would also like to say a few words about education in Hong Kong.
(5) Education
1. Teaching in the mother tongue
As an international financial and commercial centre, it is necessary for Hong Kong to use English while trading and communicating, by telegraphs or documents, with other countries. Local legislation, especially the common law, is all written in English and so are most of the government files. It is necessary for the locals running Hong Kong in the future to master both Chinese and English. In this connection, fostering a young generation well versed in both languages became an urgent task.
In education, however, whether it is necessary to use English as the teaching medium to promote the students' standard of English remains a question calling for hard thinking.
Facts had it that not using the mother tongue as the teaching medium greatly affect the students' abilities of comprehension, thinking, evaluation, analysis, judgment and expression. More serious still, long-term contact with foreign culture undermines the students' knowledge of Chinese culture rendering them apathetic to their own nation. Furthermore, the language barrier makes many young students lose interest in their studies. They drop out from school, wander about the streets, finally become trouble teenagers bringing about social problems.
I suggest that education in mother tongue be fully implemented while English teaching strengthened to maintain a high standard of the language.