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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—We shall vote on the computer system. Please key in your votes for, against or abstention. Will the Secretariat proceed with the counting of votes?
The question was put to the vote.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(Record of voting on Mr. Ronnie WONG Man-chiu's motion is attached at Annex 1.)
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—There are 29 votes for, 0 against and 0 in abstention. I announce here that the motion is carried unanimously.
Will Mr. CHAN Kwok-leung move the next (5th) motion and speak?
(5)(a) MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG moved the following:—
'The 'Review of District Organisations Consultation Report' indicates that the outbreaks of ‘avian flu' and other hygiene incidents have caused concern over municipal services, and the Government exploits this as a pretext for the Administration to dissolve the two Municipal Councils and to introduce administrative dictatorship. As the Government has deliberately evaded responsibilities in and for those incidents, RESOLVED that the Council express deep regret about this.'
He said (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, when the Chief Secretary spoke last week at Legco in response to the avian flu incident, she said that Government over-estimated the ability to kill 100,000 chickens in one day and pointed out Government would absorb experience and learn the lesson. I am most pleased that Government realises its mistake over the avian flu incident, but I am still disappointed because last weekend, the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs again stressed the unchanged stand of abolishing the two Municipal Councils. To our government that admits mistakes but is reluctant to change for the better, we must make strong criticisms so as to avoid mistakes being repeated and continuation of the wrong acts. That is why I am moving this motion today to express regret over Government's deliberate evasion of responsibilities.
In paragraph 4 of the Report of Review of District Organisations, it says that municipal services have become matters of wide concern because of the avian flu and other hygiene incidents. On this premise, we can see that Government is deliberately putting the whole blame of the avian flu and other hygiene incidents on the two Municipal Councils. Twisting the avian flu and other hygiene incidents as matters of the two Municipal Councils is shifting from the public eye and shirking responsibilities. Government is using the above incidents to recall power, scrap the two Municipal Councils and infringe on the rights of our citizens to participate in politics.
£606