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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Now let me turn to the nuisance caused by late-night hawking. The problem is becoming increasingly serious, as a number of Councillors have just mentioned. What I would like to focus on is the shopping area in Causeway Bay, which is within my constituency. The situation there is so deplorable that the two Urban Councillors and every member of the Wanchai District Board are often blamed for it by the public. It is believed, albeit without concrete evidence, that most of the hawkers have secured 'protection' from syndicates. That's why they dare ply their trade publicly after midnight, even under the very eyes of policemen.
The Urban Services Department has spared no effort in mounting raids against these unlicensed hawkers. However, due to insufficient deployment of staff, their effort is not noticeable to the general public. Now that a privatization scheme is being implemented in phases, the Department may transfer those officers released by the scheme to the General Duties Team. After reorganization, a night-time task force may be set up and deployed to hawker blackspots in Wan Chai, Yau Tsim, Mong Kok, Kwun Tong etc. to take enforcement action against unlicensed hawkers, particularly those selling cooked food, so as to prevent them from expanding and causing various environmental nuisances.
As regards liquor licensing, I would like to express my gratitude to all members of the Liquor Licensing Board as well as representatives of the Urban Services Department and the Police for their effort and co-operation which have enabled us to make tremendous progress. May I take this opportunity to thank them once again.
I advocate environmental protection, especially the greening of Hong Kong, for which much had been done by the Department in the past two years. At the 1992 Annual Conventional Debate, I suggested that the Council should plant trees extensively. After two years' promotion by the Department and with the support of the Councillors, satisfactory results have already been achieved. I hope that the Council will carry on its hard work along this line so that green plants can be found in abundance in all districts of the territory. I look forward to the Council's continued effort in promoting the greening of Hong Kong.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
MR. WONG SIU-YEE (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, if the history of its predecessor the Sanitary Board is taken into account, the Urban Council is 110 years old this year. In the past 110 years, the Urban Council had its glorious days. For example, when a fire destroyed the Shek Kip Mei Squatter Area in 1953, the Council played a leading role in the speedy resettlement of the victims. So the Council can even be regarded as the predecessor of the present Housing Authority. As to the pace of democratization and the transparency of the Councils, the Urban Council is the territory's forerunner introducing elected seats, opening up a new facet in the development of the Councils in Hong Kong.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
A lot of our fellow Members have just touched upon the work of the Urban Council in the debate today or the day before yesterday. Commending on the endeavours of the Council and the Department, they have affirmed the achievements of the Council. I have no doubt about the excellent performance of the Urban Council. However, I do not want to merely adorn perfection with additional splendor. I think, now, apart from cherishing the memory of the glorious days of the Urban Council, it is the right time for us to review the role and the status that the Council should have and even to see if there is a need to make any structural change to keep pace with time.
What I am going to say may irritate some people. But as the Chinese saying goes, 'Honest advice jars on the ear; bitter medicine is a good cure.' If what Members say are nothing but compliments, I am afraid the centenarian Urban Council will be an embodiment of 'the Empire of the Setting Sun', which will come to its downfall eventually.
Mr. Chairman, it is already 1994 this year. Before long, the people of Hong Kong will have to elect Urban Councillors of the new term. If they can ride a through train to 1997 through a proper mechanism, they will be the first batch of Urban Councillors of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
No matter we will stand for election or can be re-elected or not, it is our responsibility to design an Urban Council which is worthy of its reputation, for the benefit of ourselves or our successors. Undoubtedly, it is the most opportune time to conduct a thorough review now.
First of all, I would like to talk about the name of the Urban Council. The proper Chinese translation of the Council's name should be ''. Judging from its functions, the Urban Council is now the highest decision-making body on municipal affairs. It is not only responsible for formulating policies but also has the power to oversee the implementation of its policies by the Urban Services Department. Besides, it is financially autonomous. Shouldn't we consider renaming the Urban Council as '' so that it may handle municipal affairs with a proper name?
Such a renaming does not seek to bring about any substantial change to the functions or powers of the Urban Council. The consideration is that Hong Kong will revert to China in 1997. In accordance with China's political system, is only a functional department under a Ministry or Commission. If the same name is used by departments of different levels in various places within the same sovereign state, it will create confusion or even become a laughing stock.
Moreover, since '' (the Legislative Council) will also be renamed as '...' after 1997, I wonder if it is appropriate for the Urban Council to retain the name of '' alone?
On the other hand, we should also review the relationship between the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department.
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