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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
Members of the Democratic Party will speak on the areas of work they are responsible for, such as food safety, culture and recreation and so on. The principles I have just proposed in the context of a review are first, we should increase public participation in decision-making in district affairs. Second, we should reduce duplication of efforts among Departments so as to enhance administrative efficiency. And third, we should monitor closely the use of public funds and achieve savings in public spending. I think what the Democratic Party has proposed, under the above broad principles, is that with "One Municipal Council and One Municipal Services Department", a saving of nearly 0.5 billion dollars a year can be achieved, far more than that proposed by Mr. Albert Lam Chi Chiu in his consultant's report. Money certainly is one of the considerations. As the representatives of the public, we should monitor the Government to see how it will allow public's participation in decision-making in respect of delivery of municipal services and provision of municipal facilities. This is by far the most important principle for review of district organisation. I will not go into details of recommendations put forward by the Democratic Party in the past.
In the second part, I would like to point out that I have been an Urban Councillor for only a few years while Mr. Joseph CHAN has served the Council for more than ten years; and looking back the past few years, I have a number of criticisms to make in respect of the performances of the Urban Services Department and the Director of Urban Services. I do not think that such criticisms are levelled at the Director of Urban Services simply because she is a woman, as Mr. Joseph CHAN has so suggested. What we have to ask, in my view, is whether there are any problems in the system. Judging from the present situation, these problems may arise in the future even under our proposed structure of “One Municipal Council and One Municipal Services Department." What kind of relationship is there between the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department? My criticisms can be summed up in six points (I do not want to call them six great sins.) I have to point out, however, that they are my firsthand experience.
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese): In my speech, I never mentioned that it was because the Director of Urban Services was a woman which caused the Urban Council to be out of order. I never say such words.
THE CHAIRMAN, PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL (in Cantonese): Mr. Kam, you should withdraw your words. Actually, Mr. CHAN said that he was surprised and pleased to see that for the first time a woman assumed the post of Director.
Mr. Kam Nai-Wat (in Cantonese): I withdraw the statements I just made.
THE CHAIRMAN, PROVISIONAL Urban Council (in Cantonese): Thank you.