PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
The Urban Council of Hong Kong became financially autonomous in the 1970s, with the gradual introduction of directly-elected members to it. Under such circumstances, the Council became an independent kingdom. Since then, the officials of the Urban Services Department have been arrogant and domineering, exciting great envy from staff of other government departments. On the other hand, the Urban Councillors' powers are even greater than those of the Legislative or Executive Councillors. When coming into contact with the Government, the Urban Councillors often refuse to make the slightest concession on such issues as the Central Market and the sponsorship for the Flower Show. Therefore, various kinds of issues have sown the seeds of misfortune. Due to a number of reasons, the Council “falls sick from persistent overwork" and incurs a fatal disaster.
However, being an Urban Councillor, each one of us goes forward courageously, faces death unflinchingly and absolutely does not insist on holding our official posts just as the Chairman does. Nevertheless, I think what worries us most is that the Government has created public opinions to destroy the Urban Council in a very short time before it draws up proposals for the proper implementation of all the work left by the Council after its dissolution. Moreover, the difficulties and problems that the Government faces today have piled up like mountains. Owing to economic recession, many people in the propertied class who owned several flats in the past have suddenly turned into a class of people who have incurred losses in the property they have invested in, and their life is much more miserable than that of the people without any property. Nevertheless, the life of those who own no property today is not that good either because they have to face such problems as pay cuts, redundancy and unemployment. For these reasons, the social conditions have become more and more unstable. Nevertheless, the Government has not yet solved these social problems properly. If they turn out to be "a mess" in the future, the Government will be unworthy of the trust the Central Government places in it.
When the economy is booming, people from all walks of life can live harmoniously together without many conflicts and contradictions over their interests. However, when there is a downturn in the economy, the society will certainly be polarized into two groups. The contradictions between the two groups are bound to intensify and they will become antagonistic. At present, a large number of people have become unemployed and dissatisfied with the Government. They have increased in number and developed into a force which cannot be neglected and will pose a danger to society.
Recently, a wealthy businessman said that the current political climate was not good, which had an adverse impact on the environment for investment. As a result, he withdrew his proposal for an investment of more than 10 billion dollars in Hong Kong. Superficially, he criticized some Councillors for giving support to the actions taken by the property owners who incurred losses in property investment to press their claim for concessions from the developer.
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