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WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1993
MR SO ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THE PROPOSED COUNCIL, ONCE ESTABLISHED, WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE SOUND AND WISE COUNSEL TO THE GOVERNMENT, WORKING IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MUNICIPAL AND THE ARTS COMMUNITY, ON HOW BEST TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY OBJECTIVES LAID DOWN.
COUNCILS
SOME MEMBERS ALSO SPOKE AGAINST THE PROPOSAL IN THE REPORT ΤΟ TRANSFER THE MUSIC OFFICE TO A NON-GOVERNMENT BODY.
MR SO ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A MISUNDERSTANDING.
TH
"THE REPORT DOES NOT ADVOCATE CLOSING DOWN THE MUSIC OFFICE, HE EMPHASISED. "WHAT IT SUGGESTS IS THAT THE WORK OF THE MUSIC OFFICE COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVELY, PROFESSIONALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DONE BY NON-GOVERNMENT BODIES, SUCH AS THE ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS OR ANY OTHER BODIES WHICH ARE QUALIFIED AND ARE INTERESTED TO TAKE ON THIS TASK.
"OUR INTENTION IS NOT TO SAVE MONEY, AS WRONGLY CLAIMED BY MANY; BUT RATHER TO ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES CURRENTLY USED ON THE MUSIC OFFICE ARE MORE EFFECTIVELY AND ECONOMICALLY APPLIED TO ACHIEVE BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY BY BODIES WHICH CAN OPERATE WITHOUT THE CONSTRAINTS AND FETTERS OF A GOVERNMENT OFFICE."
TO WORRIED PARENTS AND YOUNG MUSICIANS, MR SO SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TRY ITS BEST TO ENSURE THAT THE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES PRESENTLY ORGANISED BY THE MUSIC OFFICE AND ITS REGIONAL CENTRES WOULD
BE MAINTAINED.
ON GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR THE ARTS, MR SO AGREED THAT DIRECT SUBSIDIES GIVEN OUT TO PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS HAD REMAINED AT JUST OVER $35 MILLION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS HAD SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF VENUES, THE PROVISION OF ARTS EDUCATION AND THE PRESENTATION ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES AND PROMOTIONS.
IN ADDITION, A GRANT OF $30 MILLION HAS JUST BEEN APPROVED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO HELP NEW AND DEVELOPING ART FORMS ARTISTIC GROUPS.
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AND
"I HOPE TO SEEK MORE FUNDING NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR TO ENABLE ME TO PUSH AHEAD WITH THE NEW INITIATIVES OUTLINED IN THE POLICY OBJECTIVES SET OUT IN THE REPORT, HE ADDED.
"
CONCLUDING, MR SO REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP THE ARTS IN HONG KONG AND THAT IT HAD A VERY CLEAR SET OF POLICY OBJECTIVES.
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"THE ADMINISTRATION THEREFORE CANNOT SUPPORT THE FIRST PART THE MOTION THAT THE ARTS POLICY REVIEW REPORT HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE FORWARD LOOKING POLICY OBJECTIVES.
"THE REPORT HAS CLEARLY PROPOSED THAT WE ADOPT A PRAGMATIC AND PRACTICAL APPROACH BY SETTING POLICY OBJECTIVES THAT ARE REALISTIC AND ACHIEVABLE, HE STATED.
TT
/THE CONSULTATION