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Mrs. Nellie FONG was most concerned that Hong Kong should be maintained as a prosperous and stable city as this was the most important factor to provide for our substantial population. Political development should take a second place to this.
Mr. TONG Kam-biu and Mrs. FOK Pui-yee dealt in some detail on the need for a Central Provident Fund. This is a matter obviously they feel very strongly over. However, there are many views on this subject and I personally do not feel qualified enough to make any comments.
Dr. Ronald LEUNG took this opportunity of dealing with smoking and health. As he is Chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, he certainly pulled no punches. He was particularly opposed to recreational and cultural organizations accepting sponsorship from tobacco companies as too frequently this had been used to show that cigarette companies were responsible bodies notwithstanding their promotion of the noxious weed, whilst personally I think that there is nothing necessarily wrong in taking money from such companies. I agree that the advertising of individual tobacco products is something that should be avoided.
Mr. Samuel WONG of course dealt with the recreational aspects of the Council's work and gave details of the Council's recreational programmes. These are all factual and I do not think that I need to repeat here.
Mr. FAN Kam-ping dealt with the staff levels of recreational facilities, contrasting the capital costs of facilities with the low level of management staff used to manage them and I am sure that this is a matter which the Urban Services Department on behalf of the Council will be looking into.
He also had some words of wisdom for the universities, urging them to broaden their curriculum by running degree courses in sports science, as well as to include this subject at lower levels, which I am sure bears consideration.
Mr. Marvin CHEUNG dealt with the Council's expenditure, particularly on personal emoluments and again, amongst other things, he drew the Council's attention to the need for privatization of abattoirs as this would save the Council a substantial amount of money annually.
Mr. CHOW Wai-keung dealt with refuse collections from old tenement buildings, which is really within the private domain, although practices which he complained of certainly need to be looked into. He mentioned also the removal of abattoir by-product plants from Kennedy Town which I believe is under active consideration within the Government.
Mr. MAN Sai-cheong went to considerable details on the Council's cultural venues and facilities and was most interested in the Council moving forward in the cultural field, and asked for a long-term cultural policy. Currently with the Council's limited cultural venues, this is obviously not too easy. However, when the new Cultural Centre opens in the not too distant future, together with our
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new Museums and district cultural centres, I am sure that Hong Kong cultural life can surge ahead as it did when the City Hall was opened 26 years ago.
Miss Victoria CHAN wished to walk unimpeded from Sheung Wan to Chai Wan and I hope that she can do this some day. However, our very successful promenade in Tsim Sha Tsui East is constantly under threat from vested interests who wish to build piers and spoil the amenity. The park which was to have run along the waterfront in the Western district is to be used for a cargo handling basin. There are further requests to shorten the Wan Chai promenade for the new Convention Centre etc. We have in fact been trying very hard over the years but this is a very difficult one to win.
Miss CHAN went on to discuss appeals tribunal and seemed to be proposing creation of more jobs to absorb Hong Kong's growing throng of lawyers. However, the creation of an Appeals Board to take away the load from Executive Council is under active consideration.
Mrs. Eleanor LING largely dealt with the esoteric subject of civil service salaries, a mine-field of problems but I note battle has been joined between the Civil Service Union and that particular Branch of Government. Another Commission of Enquiry?
Mr. Ronnie WONG wished the Administration to take stronger action against unlawful societies. He also stressed the need for Hong Kong to cater for more international sporting facilities with a view to boosting Hong Kong's image internationally.
Mr. Paul YOUNG, I am sure, also represented the thoughts of many other Members when he urged in his speech, citizens to vote in the forthcoming elections, and to exercise this right in a responsible manner.
All in all, I think the Debate this year was very wide ranging and showed to the general public that this Council has still not lost its drive and verve. Whilst it is essentially a Council with a lot of work to do, it is still full of ideas and we trust the powers that be will be guided accordingly.
The question was put.
The motion is carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT—3.06 p.m.
CHAIRMAN (in English): That concludes the business of today's meeting. The Council stands adjourned until Thursday, 11 February 1988 at 2.30 p.m.
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