HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
139
matters, and then referred them to the Department and the Select Committees for consideration. But the motion debates at present concern the change of policy and the decisions made are instructional. Once a policy is endorsed, the Department has to put it into effect. Take the change of opening hours to 9 p.m. from 5 p.m. as an example, the Department may encounter difficulties in implementing this imperative policy. We may be putting the cart before the horse and the Department does not know what to follow. Hence, in voting for the procedural motion, we have to consider whether it corresponds to our discussion procedure and whether it is logical and well-thought-out. Mr. Manuel CHAN, do you want to speak on the procedural motion?
Mr. Tim S. Manuel Chan (in Cantonese):—Yes, Mr. Chairman. If we listen to what you and Mr. LEUNG suggest, then the UC monthly meeting will become a rubber stamp, i.e. decisions made at Select Committees will, just as a mere formality, be put forward at the monthly meetings and we have to endorse them no matter what they are. But since the Urban Council is an elected Council, basically I think Councillors are free to criticize anything. As Mr. LEUNG Kam-tao has said just now, the Department might find it difficult to implement a resolution that we passed, but I think we should trust our 41 Members of their conceptual power and their understanding on the work of the Council and the Department. For example, we should not ask the Department to build an aeroplane. If no one supports such a resolution, how can it be passed? This is my first point.
Secondly, we know that while we cannot be absent from the SCWC meeting for 3 or more consecutive months, there is also no need for us to join all the 14 Select Committees. This is because we can always gather information for some critical issues and speak up and vote at the monthly meetings. This is the right of a Councillor. However, if there is anyone who abuses the Standing Order and refers everything back to the Select Committees, then Members will have to attend all the Select Committee meetings before we can be regarded as all-round Councillors. I think this is not a balanced practice.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—Who else would like to speak on the procedural motion? Here we have Mr. Wu Chi-wai, Mr. Chan Kwok-leung and Miss Ada WONG Ying-kay. Let's have Miss Ada WONG Ying-kay to speak first.
MISS ADA Wong Ying-kay (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I think Mr. Lai Hok-lim's original motion and my amended motion are actually about policy direction rather than details which require implementation. I hope that the Council could extend the opening hours of libraries and museums, but as to how to extend, for how long should they be extended and which library should extend its opening hours etc., should all be decided by the relevant Select Committee. At the monthly meeting, I think we have the power to make a decision and set the direction. Mr. Chairman, as far as I can remember, in the past there was a suggestion at the monthly meeting that parking spaces should
Page 426 of 485
Page 426 of 485