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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
Mr. Chairman, the existing venue hiring criteria adopted by the Council are impartial. My concern is rather on the inability of art workers to promote and organize displays for the lack of funds and manpower. Being the promoter and protector of art, the Urban Council should aim at supporting art and enabling the development of art in Hong Kong. Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I call on Members to support the amendment.
MR. SUEN KAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I second the amendment.
Ms. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I neither support the original motion nor the amendment motion. The original motion assumes that the Provisional Urban Council is taking on a political censor's role. The amendment wants us to approve applications for holding activities or display of works of art according to the existing venue hiring criteria.
From certain incidents in past months, we can see that the existing criteria are not clear at all. If we continue to approve applications according to the existing criteria, we will face the same old problem. I think on both issues of hiring of venues and display of works of art, the Provisional Urban Council should reflect on the following points:
(1) The Provisional Urban Council is the manager of some prominent public venues such as the Victoria Park, the Cultural Centre piazza, large parks and plazas. Perhaps we should review our existing venue hiring criteria and devise a set of clear criteria under an objective mechanism.
(2) We do not have an established policy regarding the display of works of art. At present, we follow the distribution of hardware and refer applications to various Select Committees. For example, for an application to use the Cultural Centre piazza, it is referred to the Culture Select Committee, and for one to use the Victoria Park, it is referred to the Recreation Select Committee. This mechanism gives rise to problems easily as the decisions of different Select Committees may not be consistent. I think placing works of art at public places is a necessity and that the Provisional Urban Council should take a tolerant view of applications. We need an objective mechanism in place.
(3) The role of advisers is very important. Since advisers are people of the art circle, their opinions should be respected.
Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I think there are flaws both in the original and amendment motions. Personally, I would like the Provisional Urban Council to spend some time to study the policy on hiring of venue and display of works of art. This is the only way to reach a long-term solution. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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