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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Developers of premises where no sewer systems exist are required to design and construct private sewage treatment plants. However, incredibly, there is no provision in our law for owners to maintain these plants properly.
There are currently about 90 such plants in Hong Kong built since 1980, and indications are that many of them are not properly operated or maintained. As a direct result of this neglect, we witness pollution problems in our beaches such as in Repulse Bay.
Another example is the current Water Pollution Control Ordinance which applies only to two of the 10 water zones in Hong Kong. They are Tolo Harbour and Southern District of Hong Kong Island which have been declared as Water Control Zones. There is a dire need to declare the remaining eight zones as Water Control Zones, so that the legislation can be enforced.
Furthermore, there is also the need to amend this law to close a disgraceful loophole. At present, existing industrial discharges in the Water Control Zones are exempt from pollution control—and discharges may be increased by up to 30% from the baseline—before control legislation can be enforced. The baselines are set according to the levels of industrial discharges at the time when the zones are declared Water Control Zones. As legislation stands, it is perceived as evidence of the Government's lack of determination in tackling this serious problem.
Floating Refuse
Another important aspect of environmental protection is coordination. In view of the dismantling of the Municipal Services Branch later this year, I would like to know which Branch in future will be responsible for the problem of collecting floating refuse, which up to now is being handled by the Municipal Services Branch. The authorities should perhaps consider Mr. Ronnie WONG's suggestion this afternoon of delegating this responsibility to this Council.
Littering
Lastly, the subject of littering. As we all know, UC has spearheaded the ‘Clean Hong Kong Campaign' for many years. However, this good work has been hampered by the lack of more deterrent penalties for littering.
Littering may not, perhaps, be regarded as a top priority for attention as it is not life-threatening. However, it is important in another sense. Many in Hong Kong tolerate littering because they think it is inevitable and sometimes even excusable. The same attitude is held by some regarding pollution. They think that pollution is just another form of littering.
Such attitude must be corrected. In fact, littering can very easily be done away with by education and by stiffer penalties. The same approach can be applied to the pollution problem. Only through such vigorous efforts can Hong Kong realize that environmental improvements in the quality of our lives are possible and achievable.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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MR. PAUL YOUNG TZE-KONG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the foundation of Hong Kong rested on its small physical area, unique geopolitical position, an efficiently administered public service and the adaptive, hardworking and enterprising merchant and industrialist. The well-paced international economic and industrial expansion between the 50's and mid-70's has created export opportunities which Hong Kong's people have wisely taken. With the expansion of the variety of financial products offered by Hong Kong's efficient banking service, local speculative property developers have for the past decade and a half catapulted Hong Kong to the international eminence which it now enjoys. Like elsewhere, rapid material success in Hong Kong is not without a price to pay. Witness our problems in education, our industrial base, hospitals, mental health, pollution, which are mentioned quite a number of times today and even more importantly our value system.
The definitive Joint-declaration of 1983 between Britain and China on the return of Hong Kong to China has shocked individuals and interested groups into reassessing their comparative advantage. They naturally expand their efforts to protect and some to expand their interest in anticipation of the change. The lightning changes and adjustments that are taking place within our giant neighbour, the shift in international economic and industrial dominance, and the undisciplined fragile international financial system, compounded people's uncertainty and have possibly contributed to a David and Goliath mentality that for the moment appears to prevail between local groups.
Safeguard and protection of human rights are important. On the other hand, one must not forget that humans are part of the animal kingdom. The notions of respect for the rights of others and of sharing are learned and disciplined processes rather than inherited. Long-term stability and prosperity obviously depend on many factors, but the preceding twin notions are primary to it.
With the above as reference, for the moment I shall like to draw attention briefly to two areas that have a direct bearing on Hong Kong's future stability and prosperity. The first concerns the training of our professionals and specifically business professionals, some of whom may one day become leaders of our community.
In response to the business demands and our community demand for degrees that yield higher financial rewards, the majority of the Business schools in our tertiary education institutions transplanted curriculums that are more or less similar to those in America. Through these curriculums, institutes successfully inculcated the tools of business for profit maximization but hardly pay any attention nor stress the impacts of management decisions on people, society and its environment. Recent rampant international financial malpractices, corporate raiding, ruthless plundering of our environment for natural resources and the poor performance of corporate America should be sufficient warning on the soundness of existing business curricula. It is time that teachers of business should reflect on and re-examine students' role and their sense of social
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