XN000022-1986-02-05 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1986

THE BILL UNDERLINES THE CENTRE'S ROLE BOTH AS A VENUE→ PROVIDER AND AS A PROMOTER OF THE ARTS.

→IT ALSO EXPANDS THE SCOPE OF THE CENTRE'S PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES SO THAT IT MAY PURSUE ITS OBJECTIVES BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE HONG KONG, HE SAID.

THE BILL ALSO EMPOWERS THE ARTS CENTRE TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY IN SETTING ITS OWN FEES AND REGULATING THE USE OF ITS FACILITIES.

+TO PROVIDE A MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE FOR THE ARTS CENTRE, THE BILL PROPOSES THAT THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS SHALL BE THE SOLE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CENTRE, AND THE MEMBERSHIP WILL BE EXPANDED, SAID MR WIGGHAM,

+ITS COMPOSITION WILL ALSO BE CHANGED TO PROVIDE A BALANCE OF PERCEPTIVES, AND ENSURE THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE VARIOUS BODIES INVOLVED IN THE ARTS CENTRE ARE FULLY REPRESENTED IN THE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.+

HE SAID THAT EXPERIENCE IN OPERATING THE ARTS CENTRE HAD SHOWN THAT, WHILE THE ORDINANCE PROVIDED A BROAD OUTLINE OF THE AIMS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTRE, THE DETAILED PROVISIONS IN THE ORDINANCE WERE INADEQUATE.

→IN PARTICULAR, THE PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CENTRE ARE AMBIGUOUS AND HAVE, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, LED TO CONFUSION IN MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, HE SAID.

+SUCH A STATE OF AFFAIRS IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF THE ARTS CENTRE.+

MR WIGGHAM NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME PUBLICITY RECENTLY ABOUT THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE ARTS CENTRE.

+GOVERNMENT HAS ON TWO OCCASIONS EXTRICATED THE CENTRE FROM ITS FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.

+WITH THE NEW LEGISLATION NOW PROPOSED, THE ARTS CENTRE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FUNCTION MORE EFFICIENTLY AS A COMMERCIALLY VIABLE VENUE OPERATOR, AND AS A PROMOTER OF THE ARTS, MR WIGGHAM SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

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