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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
dissolved by the Conservative Party, the ruling party then, because the political party leading the London City Council was the Labour Party, which used to give a very hard time to the ruling Conservative Party by hanging high the unemployment figures on the Council Building so that every citizen could see them. Eventually the British Government ordered the dissolution of the London City Council led by the Labour Party. It can thus be seen that for the Government to harbour such an intention, there must be a main reason, which is a political one. However, the Government has not disclosed it. It has only cited the avian flu incident, thereby seriously misleading the public. On the one hand, the Government recognizes the contribution made by the Urban Council but on the other, it is bent on eliminating the Council, resulting in a lot of misguided thinking. As far as this is concerned, the Department has acted wrongly, unfairly, immorally, dishonestly and unfaithfully. What I resent most is not the misleading nature of the consultation paper but the Government's withholding the real reason for the dissolution of the two Municipal Councils. As a result, the Councils are wrongly accused and severely blamed for something they have not done. This is the biggest unjust charge suffered by the Urban Council since I joined it in 1983. I would therefore support Mr. Li Wah-ming's motion.
Chairman (in Cantonese):—Are there anymore Members who wish to speak? If not, is Mr. Li Wah-ming going to exercise his right of reply? Mr. Li please.
MR. LI WAH-MING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I thank the seven Members who spoke on my motion. In fact it is not the intention of my motion to initiate a debate on the specific issue concerning the dissolution of the Municipal Councils. I would stress just once that during the 2-month consultation on the document on Review of District Organizations, the emphasis had shifted to food safety and environmental hygiene while there were little coverage and few submissions from outside organizations on culture, arts and recreation. Yet views were quoted out of context in the Consultation Report and false accusations were made. Actually more examples could have been quoted from the comments of some academics but the Government cited only the first half of their submissions but not the second half, giving the impression that they were in favour of the Government's stand. I have read through the entire consultation paper and I hope my colleagues will not mistake me for defending the Municipal Councils or being resistant to their elimination. I have simply expressed my views on the consultation process. I hope Members will support and accept my analysis as well as my motion on denouncing the Government, irrespective of their stand and their capacity as appointed or elected Members. The problem is not whether you support a two-tier representative government or the dissolution of the Municipal Councils, because the motion is not about this but about the improper approach of the consultation. I hope my colleagues will support my motion. Thank you.