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# HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
payment to the general public who have already paid the rates. This is something that the Urban Council cannot do.
Two months ago, Mr. Szeto Wah of the Democratic Party moved in the Council: 'RESOLVED that under the monitoring of the public, the Council should reform its services in order to build up a good image.' The Democratic Party considers that in order to achieve this objective, the Provisional Urban Council must continue to bid for adequate provision from the central government to finance our services. It is only then that the Council may maintain a sound financial situation in the next few years in order to implement the various policies aimed at providing quality municipal services to the public in fulfillment of Mr. SZETO Wah's motion.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I beg to move.
MR. KAM NAI-WAI (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
MR. STANLEY NG WING-FAI (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman and Members, just now our fellow party member, Mr. WONG Chung-ki, briefly explained the impact that the central government's reduced provision would have on the Provisional Urban Council. I will focus on describing the Democratic Party's concern about the Council's capital projects.
As shown in the paper of the Finance Select Committee, because of the shortage of central provision, the capital budget for the next three years will have to be reduced from the original sum of $4.7b to $3.5b, which spread over the next three years, will be $1b, $1.2b and $1.3b. The Department has advised Members that it is envisaged that in the coming three years, only those projects which are underway and for which provision has been approved may proceed as scheduled while the remaining ones will have to be postponed after 2000/2001.
With such a tight budget, it is estimated that nearly 80 central and district municipal projects will be delayed. As some of them are under the charge of the Land Development Corporation or other government departments, the actual number of projects affected are 78. The scope of impact is far and wide because these projects include cultural and recreational facilities, UC complexes, markets, improvement projects, environmental hygiene and improvement works. Because of the Government, progress of the projects of the Provisional Urban Council is delayed and members of the public are deprived of the chance to enjoy improvement in the municipal environment. For example, the Urban Council endorsed in 1996 priority installation of air-conditioning systems in 14 markets but all these have been shelved and will not be implemented until funding for the next three years is confirmed. The numerous stadium projects and facilities of refuse collection points are among those that cannot be dispensed with. For instance, refuse collection points on the street need improvement badly because of the nuisance they cause.