Page 258 of 312
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Dr. Woo's remarks concerning charity hospitals have already received publicity and I can only assure him that both Government and the Directors of these Hospitals are very much aware of the continued need for efficient control and management of their facilities for the public benefit, despite the appalling pressures which are put equally on these hospitals and those of Government.
In conclusion, may I sincerely thank all Members of this Council for their untiring interest and most helpful assistance during the past year in all matters of community public health.
Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure in supporting the motion before this Council.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, with your permission, may I seek clarification from the Vice-Chairman concerning his remarks on co-operation. Does he intend to prove his measure of co-operation by providing Members of this Council with copies of the minutes of the last meeting of the Medical Advisory Board?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:- I think we should discuss this later, Sir. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Will it be discussed fruitfully, Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN:- Ladies and Gentlemen, my colleagues on the Official side of the Council have covered many of the points raised by Unofficial Members at the previous meeting. It remains for me to add my contribution to the debate in the time allotted under Standing Orders.
When I moved the motion to endorse our Statement of Aims at the meeting on 3rd December last year, I recorded the reason why the dates of the Annual Conventional Debate had been changed from April and May to December and January. It would be appropriate, I think, to state now, for the sake of the historian, why the Annual Conventional Debate is being held for the first time on the first and third Tuesdays in December. At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, held on 4th February, 1964, it was agreed to introduce this new procedure which had been suggested by Mr. BERNACCHI. His reason was that with the Officials replying a month afterwards to the speeches of the Unofficials, the public would probably have forgotten by that time what the latter had said.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
491
Before I turn to other matters, may I once again refer to Aim No. 37 in the Statement of Aims for 1965 which reads: press for the enlargement of the Council's scope and its representation on various other public bodies." At the last Annual Conventional Debate I referred to this particular Aim and said that although I would vote for the motion before Council as a whole, I had to reserve my position, with that of the Official Members, on this Aim. I must again express this reservation to-day in regard to Aim No. 37.
In regard to constitutional matters raised by various Unofficial Members, I cannot speak on these except to say that they have been forwarded to Government and are receiving consideration. Similarly, the several helpful suggestions regarding aspects of re-organization of the Urban Services Department are being carefully studied.
Many general matters, outside the purview of this Council, were raised by the Unofficial Members at the last meeting. They covered a wide field, ranging from education to population control and from off-course betting to flag days. Some of these subjects have already been referred to by my Official colleagues. In regard to the others, all the speeches of the Unofficial Members have been forwarded to Government and I believe that the views which have been expressed will receive close and sympathetic attention.
As regards matters concerning the Urban Services Department, may I refer first to the criticisms voiced in regard to the efficiency of the Department. Dr. Woo mentioned that the decisions of the Select Committees were not implemented on the same lines as agreed to by the Committees and that he could recall at least four instances of this in the Select Committees in which he took part. I am aware of the four cases to which he referred and they are being looked into again, with a view to improving the procedure of consultation between the Department and the Council and the implementation of the Council's policies. Dr. Woo also mentioned that Members' inquiries or questions at Urban Council meetings have often not been followed up. It is a rule in the Department that Members' inquiries must be dealt with expeditiously, but sometimes a matter has to be referred to another department and a reply awaited, before an answer can be given to the Member concerned. As far as I can recollect, there has always been a system in force for following up Members' inquiries at Council meetings, but this has been tightened up recently and better checks are being brought into effect which will, I hope, ensure that such matters cannot be lost sight of.
On this same subject, Mr. SALES said that there was a measure of uneasiness on the part of some of his colleagues and himself, that full and unstinted support was not given to the policies framed by the Council, directly or through its Select Committees. He went on to suggest that civil servants should not resist the wishes of any public committee, or undermine its position by not taking prompt action when required to do so, or fail consciously to disclose all relevant information. I am not aware that the staff of the Department has ever deliberately
Page 258 of 312
Page 258 of 312
490
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Dr. Woo's remarks concerning charity hospitals have already received publicity and I can only assure him that both Government and the Directors of these Hospitals are very much aware of the continued need for efficient control and management of their facilities for the public benefit, despite the appalling pressures which are put equally on these hospitals and those of Government.
In conclusion, may I sincerely thank all Members of this Council for their untiring interest and most helpful assistance during the past year in all matters of community public health.
Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure in supporting the motion before this Council.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, with your permission, may I seek clarification from the Vice-Chairman concerning his remarks on co-operation. Does he intend to prove his measure of co-operation by providing Members of this Council with copies of the minutes of the last meeting of the Medical Advisory Board?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I think we should discuss this later, Sir. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Will it be discussed fruitfully, Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, my colleagues on the Official side of the Council have covered many of the points raised by Unofficial Members at the previous meeting. It remains for me to add my contribution to the debate in the time allotted under Standing Orders.
When I moved the motion to endorse our Statement of Aims at the meeting on 3rd December last year, I recorded the reason why the dates of the Annual Conventional Debate had been changed from April and May to December and January. It would be appropriate, I think, to state now, for the sake of the historian, why the Annual Conventional Debate is being held for the first time on the first and third Tuesdays in December. At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, held on 4th February, 1964, it was agreed to introduce this new procedure which had been suggested by Mr. BERNACCHI. His reason was that with the Officials replying a month afterwards to the speeches of the Unofficials, the public would probably have forgotten by that time what the latter had said.
Before I turn to other matters, may I once again refer to Aim No. "To continue to 37 in the Statement of Aims for 1965 which reads: press for the enlargement of the Council's scope and its representation on various other public bodies." At the last Annual Conventional
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
491
Debate I referred to this particular Aim and said that although I would vote for the motion before Council as a whole, I had to reserve my position, with that of the Official Members, on this Aim. I must again express this reservation to-day in regard to Aim No. 37.
In regard to constitutional matters raised by various Unofficial Members, I cannot speak on these except to say that they have been forwarded to Government and are receiving consideration. Similarly, the several helpful suggestions regarding aspects of re-organization of the Urban Services Department are being carefully studied.
Many general matters, outside the purview of this Council, were raised by the Unofficial Members at the last meeting. They covered a wide field, ranging from education to population control and from off- course betting to flag days. Some of these subjects have already been referred to by my Official colleagues. In regard to the others, all the speeches of the Unofficial Members have been forwarded to Government and I believe that the views which have been expressed will receive close and sympathetic attention.
As regards matters concerning the Urban Services Department, may I refer first to the criticisms voiced in regard to the efficiency of the Department. Dr. Woo mentioned that the decisions of the Select Committees were not implemented on the same lines as agreed to by the Committees and that he could recall at least four instances of this in the Select Committees in which he took part. I am aware of the four cases to which he referred and they are being looked into again, with a view to improving the procedure of consultation between the Department and the Council and the implementation of the Council's policies. Dr. Woo also mentioned that Members' inquiries or questions at Urban Council meetings have often not been followed up. It is a rule in the Department that Members' inquiries must be dealt with expeditiously, but sometimes a matter has to be referred to another department and a reply awaited, before an answer can be given to the Member concerned. As far as I can recollect, there has always been a system in force for following up Members' inquiries at Council meetings, but this has been tightened up recently and better checks are being brought into effect which will, I hope, ensure that such matters cannot be lost sight of.
On this same subject, Mr. SalES said that there was a measure of uneasiness on the part of some of his colleagues and himself, that full and unstinted support was not given to the policies framed by the Council, directly or through its Select Committees. He went on to suggest that civil servants should not resist the wishes of any public committee, or undermine its position by not taking prompt action when required to do so, or fail consciously to disclose all relevant information. I am not aware that the staff of the Department has ever deliberately
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