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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
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We talked to our colleagues in the former Finance Branch about our financial problem. What I do not understand is that officials of the Finance Bureau and our colleagues in the Urban Services Department handling the Council's finances, both being civil servants under the same system, should come up with two different sets of data and two different budgets. And we never have any knowledge of how the central government prepares its budget. What is becoming real is that hardly half a year had passed than the civil servants responsible for the Council's financial matters told us that with the provision offered, there would be a deficit of more than $500m. How come? Another half year later, one-third of our financial triennium will be gone. Some Members consider that the unreal would become real. Our financial situation will be clearly presented before Members and we can no longer avoid facing the fact that the Urban Council is in financial difficulties. We should therefore make early preparations by working out all the measures required to seek adequate funding from the central government. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (in Cantonese):—The motion was put to the vote.
The motion was unanimously carried.
(1) MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT moved:
'RESOLVED that the Council should conduct a review on the functions, powers and organization of the Provisional Urban Council, as well as its relationship with other provisional councils/district bodies, and the Chairman should lead the Council to hold discussions with the Provisional Regional Council and other district bodies on this issue, and reflect the outcome to the Chief Executive.'
He said (in Cantonese):—I rise to move the motion standing in my name on the order paper.
This motion is raised after discussion with a number of Councillors including Ms. Jennifer Chow Kit-bing, Mr. WONG Man-kong, Mr. CHEUNG Yu-yan, Mr. IP Kwok-chung, Dr. LEUNG Ding-bong and Mr. PAO Ping-wing etc. The motion itself is neither instructional nor directional. It focuses on the review of issues concerning the existing structure of the Provisional Urban Council and its relationship with other provisional councils. For example:
2.
3.
on whether the three-tier administrative structure should be retained; whether Hong Kong should have a single municipal council to decide on its overall municipal services, cultural policy as well as entertainment, recreation and sports facilities and services; whether the full power to govern and decide on Hong Kong's cultural and arts policies should be vested in a policy bureau of the Government;
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