PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
motion I moved the other day. Are you going to move another procedural motion on the same pretext to refer the matter to the Public Health Select Committee for discussion?
Mr. Chairman, I bring up a past story today because I earnestly hope that members of the DAB will act more fairly and be more pragmatic, instead of finding fault with any views put forth by the Democratic Party while giving green light indiscriminately to proposals made by members of their own party.
I have been very calm. I have not been emotional. I have only drawn a comparison between the motion I moved at the March monthly meeting and the one moved today and I hope that Members of the Council will join hands instead of being factious. I would stress that I will support you fully. All the 13 members of the Democratic Party will vote for the motion. We will not vote against it merely because you are a member of the DAB. There is nothing like that. We support your motion entirely for the good of everybody. I hope my view represents that of members of the Democratic Party. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Li Wah-ming just now stated that he was discussing the problem with calmness. As far as I am concerned, I have all along been handling the problem with such a state of mind but somehow I feel that Mr. Li has been upset by what happened last time. Today is not the only occasion on which he brings up the matter. It was brought up earlier too.
I wish to say something about the reason why I resorted then to the procedural motion that the issue be referred to the Select Committee for action as well as the difference between Mr. Li's motion and the motion moved by Mr. WONG Kwok-hing today. I consider that the major difference lies in the wordings of the motions.
Mr. Li moved, "Resolved that the Council, together with the Department of Health, examine the setting up of an import quarantine and source registration system for shellfish." My views were against the 'source registration system'. How is registration going to be made on the source of seafood? To me, this has presented a strong doubt. For a catch from the sea, how is one going to distinguish whether it is from Dongsha or Nansha? How can one tell the source and have it registered? To me, this is something that cannot be implemented. If the motion was carried but was not enforceable, it would cause a great deal of inconvenience to the fishing community. If the requirement was not fulfilled, they would also be adversely influenced. It was for this reason that I proposed that the matter be referred to the Select Committee for discussion.
The motion moved by Mr. Wong Kwok-hing today is different from Mr. Li's motion mainly in that it has not recommended a source registration system. It has recommended only a quarantine system, which I think is enforceable. I would not object to ensuring food hygiene by means of a
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