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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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The Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL) hopes that the Government will devise a timetable to enhance the qualities of sports teachers in a long term and well-planned manner, as well as place importance on the achievement of secondary students in sports. Only then can we cultivate the interest of students in sports from a young age and encourage them to spend time in receiving training. Many of our students are gifted in basketball or football, some of them may be potential decathlon champions. However, their achievements or hopes can very often only be realized in the world of electronic videogames.
On the practical side, it may be very difficult to make them do exercise once a week because they are indulged in video games, comics or other social activities. What we need in the world of sports is real interest, time and efforts. Few parents of our youngsters are willing to let their children receive training in sports.
Of course, the ADPL does not expect all students to participate in sports and reach high standards at the expense of their academic results. Nevertheless, we don't want to see schools cultivating more and more 'bespectacled' people like me who are weak and pale for decorating our prosperity.
Based on the above, I feel that promotion of sports is not the work of the Council alone. Apart from allocating resources, it is more important for the Government to do better in education and provision of venues to promote sports. Only with co-ordination from various sides and building of facilities at the elementary level can sports in Hong Kong be made more successful. Mr. Chairman, I beg to move my amendment. Thank you.
MR. TAM KWOK-KIU (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I second the amended motion.
Mr. Chairman, Members who are members of ADPL do not object to Ms. Ada Wong's motion. As mentioned by Ms. Grace Au Yuk-har, the Working Group on Drafting the Recreation Select Committee's Five-Year Plan is discussing this topic. In the past, the Council's sports policy has been for sports-for-all. We feel that is a sound direction.
We seek to give the public a chance to enjoy the fun of recreation activities, and people of all ages, and disabled members of society to have equal chances in using our recreation facilities. With regard to sports development at the intermediate level, the Working Group had a lot of discussions at past meetings geared at preventing a break between training for intermediate classes and that for the elite. The ADPL feels that the Urban Council should strengthen its role in elementary and intermediate sports development because only with a good foundation can we select athletes with potential and break open new horizons for sports in Hong Kong.
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Page 219 of 498