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# HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
I will cite two examples. One concerns political art pieces as mentioned by Mr. IP Kwok-chung. He said all art pieces of political nature should not be allowed to be displayed at the Council's venues.
The other one concerns letters from petitioners received by Mr. Pao Ping-wing. The letters claimed that applications for use of venues were to test the tolerance of the authorities. On that statement, he decided against applications.
There is one point I want to reiterate. We are in fact discussing about hiring out venues to different bodies. Ms. Ada WONG just confused the issue. (Unfortunately, she is not present now.) She thought the Council allowed objects to be put on display permanently. I think we need to discuss and formulate a policy, I mean a policy for permanent display of objects.
Today's motion has been well thought out. The wording clearly states that all organizations are free to apply for the hiring of venues. For our procedures, as mentioned by Mr. Albert LAI just now, we could ask the Department for information and application forms. The submitted forms are then passed to Fire Services Department, the Police and other departments concerned for clearance. If a venue applied for has not been booked, we approve the application in most cases. A site at Victoria Park was once leased out for the display of a rocket. If you ask why we cannot accommodate the Pillar of Shame, it is because some people do not like it (or do not think it is a work of Art). That is the crux of the matter.
It is a pity that Ms. Ada WONG is not around. I remember that she moved a motion in February: 'Resolved that the Council reaffirm that it would not devise any pre-censorship system regarding the activities and programmes organized by hirers of any council venue'.
When Ms. Ada WONG raised that motion, the Democratic Party supported it. But then, that motion was eventually amended. The same issue is repeating itself at this Council two or three months later. Certain members are refusing to lend out venues for political reasons. What is more, Ms. Jennifer CHOW asked the Council to find out the motives of people applying for the use of venues. I think that approach must have come as an amazement to the public.
You may have different ideas when you are asked to vote later on. I hope each Member present here can give his or her reason for the vote. I would like us to explain to the public. Therefore, I suggest that we shall vote by open ballot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. WU CHI-WAI (in Cantonese):- In fact, this Council never refused an application for use of venue on political grounds. Mr. Lai explained this point just now. Mr. WEN Choy-bon, Vice Chairman of the Entertainment Select Committee, also explained this. He said that the Council should not vet the content of an activity when considering to lend out a venue.
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