Page 362 of 606
Page 362 of 606
Page 362 of 606
350
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
I am very glad that at the end of last year the Public Relations Sub-Committee actively studied the suggestion on introducing advertisements in the City News. Although in view of the prevailing economic downturn in Hong Kong, we should not be too optimistic about the success of introducing advertisements, there is no harm in trying if it can generate more income for the Council.
Besides, instead of placing advertisements at other places or through other channels, the Department has also displayed promotional banners and posters outside the Council venues for a large number of PUC programmes. I am supportive of these attempts which not only serve the purpose of promoting PUC programmes but also reduce expenditures.
However, to my regret and disappointment, the Department has not yet stepped up measures to introduce commercial advertisements on the outer walls of the Council buildings to fully utilize the Council's assets to generate revenue. I hope that the Department will soon implement, in particular, the recent proposal to put promotional advertisements on the outer walls of the 2 sides of the City Hall High Block.
In October last year, I moved a motion that the Council should actively study the setting up of flea markets in its venues with a view to stimulating the people's desire to spend, increasing job opportunities and alleviating the unemployment problem. The motion was carried by the Council. Three months have now lapsed and the Urban Services Department simply dismissed the issue with the remark that "It is difficult to set up flea markets in the Provisional Urban Council's venues". In this regard, I think the Department should enlist genuine efforts to realize this plan at appropriate PUC venue this year.
In fact, there are a lot of parks, piazzas and stadia under the Council's administration, and it should therefore be much easier for the Council to identify venues for setting up flea markets than the other institutions. Designated areas in these venues may be let to organisations or individuals at low rent on short term basis and the stalls operated by these organisations or individuals may be put under the central management of the Department. I sincerely hope that the Department would make earnest and serious efforts to follow up the ratified motions.
Finally, amid the clamour for freezing and reducing salaries in the private sector, the Council passed a motion to freeze the ceiling of Members' allowances in September 1998. Calculating at the rate of 6.03% for civil service salary increase last year, this would achieve a saving of $1.9 million in the Council's expenditure. I hereby call upon the Department to follow the example of the Members and take the initiative to freeze the salaries of all its staff in this financial year to tie in with the Enhanced Productivity Programme of the Central Government and to reflect the actual deflation in our economy.
Page 363 of 606
Page 363 of 606
Page 363 of 606