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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
exceeding 7 minutes also counted as 7 minutes. In their speeches, Members reviewed the work of the Council in the past year and expressed their views regarding the Council businesses in the coming year. Being one of the last few Members to speak, I will try my best to avoid repeating the topics of other Members so as to make more efficient use of the meeting time.
As pointed out by Mr. Chairman and some colleagues, Hong Kong was affected in varying degrees by a number of external and internal factors in the past year, in the wake of which some unforeseeable problems and situations have arisen. To help Hong Kong's economy meet the stern challenge at present, the SAR Government has adopted proactive measures to revive the economy in order to bring about an early recovery. As some Members have just mentioned, the Council has, in response to the SAR Government's policy of "Riding out the Storm”, taken measures to freeze or reduce the rentals of its venues and the licence fees. As I pointed out at last year's Annual Conventional Debate, the Council and the Department should devote greater effort to implement the endorsed aims on schedule, and work conscientiously and realistically so as to reduce unnecessary political disputes. Time is money. Efficient work can help reduce expenditure. This is especially important at present when the financial situation is stringent. In fact, “using resources in the most cost-effective manner” has always been the aim of both the Council and the Department, and it is now a slogan of various boards and councils. If our meetings are well-conducted, the meeting time can be shortened. Members can then see to other matters more efficiently, for example, meeting the public, handling complaints and maintaining a closer supervision on the work of the Department, etc. Officials of the Department can also have more time to do their jobs, review their mode of operation and improve the quality of services provided to the public. Just now some Members mentioned about “self-examination". I would like to say a few words on this. Let's examine ourselves. If we prepared well for the meetings, tried to be precise during discussions and avoided politicization, we would have conducted the meetings in a more efficient manner, and made better use of our resources.
Mr. Chairman, it is reported in the media that in the 1998 press conference, while talking about the Council's work in the coming year, you quoted the Chinese saying "Be a day's monk, toll a day's bell" to indicate that the Council will continue to do its best to provide municipal services. I fully agree with you on this. Members may all expect that we will be kicked down the ladder by the end of the year, just like the saying that “after the Buddhist fasts, Buddhist monks are no longer needed". However, as some colleagues have said, I am confident that if we are not drinking and non-vegetarian Buddhist monks and do our work with dedication, we will be rewarded for what we have done.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
Professor Shane ZEE Sze-yong (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman,
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