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should be given to the construction of the new Airport cannot stand as comparing with the astronomical figures in any of the Core Contracts of the new Airport, the expenditure of these few projects are just negligible ‘peanuts' while the social demand is so great and the functioning of the history museums has been being jeapardized as preservation of history is subject to time factors. Perhaps a review of the Visual Arts Policy may also shed some light to assist the Government to seriously review its funding attitude!
Sir, with the above words, I support the motion.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Thank you, there will be two more speakers. Mok Ying-fan.
MR. MOK YING-FAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, colleagues, now that I am standing up to speak. Today's debate is almost to an end. If you are interested please continue attending the meeting on Thursday, I certainly will be there to listen to your views.
At the start of a new year, I would like to make a New Year wish. May the Sino-British disputes be settled this year, and the people of Hong Kong continue to live in a fair, liberal society ruled by law.
The problem of unlicensed hawkers
This year, I would like to follow up the question I raised last year on the control of unlicensed hawkers including illegal cooked food hawkers.
In his reply last year, the Chairman said a flying squad would be set up to conduct raiding operations. Despite the many operations last year, however, no review has so far been made on its effectiveness. In the past year, the 'Working Party to Review Hawker and Related Policies' of the Council mainly concentrated on issues relating to illegal hawking by existing itinerant hawkers and licensed hawkers. In my opinion, it is without question that this area of work is important, but the more important issue of illegal unlicensed hawkers has never been put on the agenda for discussion. I think this is most regrettable and is like putting the cart before the horse.
Looking back on last year, our administrative expenditure on hawker control amounted to $446.5 million, and it is estimated that by the year 96/97, it will have increased by 22.8% to $548.2 million, which accounts for 73% of the total expenditure of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee.
From the few figures given above, we can see that unlicensed hawkers cost Hong Kong a great deal of money. As the controlling authority, how can we allow things to deteriorate?
I would therefore like to urge the Council to treat the task of reviewing the question of unlicensed hawking as top priority. Otherwise, the Council will not be acting up to its duties towards legal hawkers and the people of Hong Kong.
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Green Hong Kong Campaign
Last year, in recognizing the need for launching a campaign in greening the city, the Council set up a working group for the task. As a member of this working group, I would like to put forward some of my personal views.
(1) In order to achieve the desired effect, the greening campaign needs the response of the whole community and the support of the Government. Therefore, publicity and public education are important. However, the form of publicity must not be perfuntory. We should keep in mind that publicity or educational activities that waste money, as in the case of the 'Garden Celebration', are not acceptable to the public.
(2) Co-operation with the Government and other departments, such as the Highways Department and the Drainage Services Department, is necessary. All of us must have the 'green' concept if the project is to be implemented smoothly. I hope that the Chuk Yuen Road case will not recur and that unnecessary hindrance caused by the lack of co-ordination among various departments can be avoided.
(3) We should make good use of other resources. As many major businesses and organizations are willing to support the greening exercise, we can seek greater co-operation from them in the task of greening Hong Kong. These are my personal views. I hope the Council will give them due consideration.
At a time of sudden and unpredictable changes, to have more green plants on the land of Hong Kong will help to eliminate some of the prevailing evil atmosphere of 'gunfires' and 'bullets'.
With these remarks, I support the motion.
MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, My name is not on today's list, but I would like to deliver my speech in advance.
Reconstruction of the Hong Kong Stadium will be completed by the end of March 1994. Fortunately, the management authority now rests with this Council, thanks to the hard work and lobbying done by many of our colleagues here. In addition, I have to thank our colleagues in the education sector because they have done a lot to help us win the management authority of the Hong Kong Stadium.
Apart from being the most suitable organization to manage the Hong Kong Stadium, the Urban Council is also the most suitable body to maintain a balance between the needs and interests of the general public and various organizations. At the meeting held by the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong yesterday, representatives of some governing bodies of sports expressed their concern that the hire charges of the new Hong Kong Stadium might be increased to a level that they cannot afford. In this regard, I have given them some explanations. I hope that this matter will be taken into consideration when the authorities discuss management matters
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with the management company so that we can look after certain sports associations and event organizers and offer them concessionary rates.
On 7 October last year, the Governor, the Right Honourable Christopher Patten, announced to the public a political reform package in his Policy Address and this triggered off a lot of trouble. The Sino-British dispute has centred on whether the political reform package is in compliance with the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law and the Memorandum of Understanding on the new airport. Although I consider it essential that the political system in 1995 must comply with the principles of the three aforesaid documents and dovetail with the Basic Law, I do not intend to elaborate here. I am just going to respond to the Governor's proposal concerning the abolition of appointed seats in 1995. Mr. PATTEN has been emphasizing that the political reform package must be fair, open and acceptable to the general public. I believe when the Governor decided or proposed to abolish the appointed seats, none of the three aforesaid principles were adhered to. As to the question of fairness, is it fair to the serving appointed members if the appointed seats are abolished in 1995? As far as I know, some appointed members have laid aside their profession or work and spent most of their time on the work of the Council. As you, Mr. Chairman, have said, you have also put aside the work of your clinic. It will not be very fair to the appointed members if appointed seats are to be abolished within such a short time. On the question of openness, I remember the Hon. Elsie Tu has pointed out several times that Mr. PATTEN did not make any consultations when drafting the political reform package. Neither did he state openly what his decision to abolish appointed seats was based on. The last point is acceptability to the general public. In the last two months we read in the newspapers that the two Municipal Councils and 18 out of the 19 District Boards supported the retention of appointed seats. All along District Boards can be said to represent the majority of the general public. When the Government chooses to listen to certain opinions, it will agree that the District Boards represent the voice of the people, but if the Government does not want to listen, it will say that the District Boards just represent the voice of a few dozen people. Since 21 out of 22 councils (District Boards plus the two Municipal Councils) are in favour of retaining the appointed seats, the Governor will be contradicting his own words if he still insists the abolition of appointed seats is appropriate. I hope the Governor together with the Executive Council would reconsider carefully whether his political reform package needs thorough amendment. Apart from retaining the appointed seats, it is also necessary to abide by the Basic Law and take the question of convergence into consideration.
With these remarks, I support the motion.
ADJOURNMENT—4.41 p.m.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today's meeting. The meeting is now adjourned until Thursday, 14 January 1993, that is the day after tomorrow, at 2.30 p.m. on which day other members of the Council will resume the debate. Thank you for attending.
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