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lowering production costs, releasing industrial land at reasonable prices, especially for smaller developers, giving manufacturers every possible encouragement to introduce new techniques, to variegate their products, and to find new markets, while at the same time expanding our own home market by stopping inflation and fear. Did the Government really have to hit industry by doubling water charges just when the water situation was eased? Did the Government really have to strike at the tourist trade by draining off a few dollars from their hotel bills? These mean, catch-penny methods, are short-sighted in the extreme. The Government could have done more to promote trade and attract tourist buying by granting a permanent site for the exhibition of Hong Kong products, instead of the present yearly waste. What real effort has the Hong Kong Government made to reason with the British Government over textile quotas and surcharge? Hong Kong, being a Colony, is a link in the United Kingdom's economy. Why then is Hong Kong treated as a foreign country? Why does the U.K. take no responsibility when we are in economic difficulty?
I am coming more and more to the conclusion that our economy falters because of the fundamental attitude that guides the men in the seats of power. They still regard Hong Kong as a place to visit for a few years, drain off as much money as they can, then leave the mess to their successors when they retire. Short-term civil servants must produce short-term policies; of this we have plenty of evidence in many departments. I exclude the Chairman's department. (Laughter).
One Department that has a policy so short-term that it is not visible to the naked eye is the Social Welfare Department. Without criticizing the personnel, a few of whom I know to be genuinely wanting to serve the public, I just wonder what they do, or what they are supposed to do. The White Paper does not suggest what they plan for any of the unfortunates of our society by way of long-term plans for old age pensions, unemployment benefit, sick benefit, and the rest. And Mr. CHEONG-LEEN mentioned a few other points which might be added here. One gets the impression that the Government thinks the voluntary organizations are willing to do the work, so let them get on with it, so long as the Department can watch to see that those organizations do not cheat! I have heard many complaints of impoliteness shown by officers of the S.W.D. towards applicants for relief; I hope they are not true. I have complained many times about delay in dealing with cases. There is still much room for improvement. The Social Welfare Department should have a different outlook from the legal views of the government; instead it has become a mouth-piece for the Government policy of sparing the pence at the top and keeping the people as low as possible at the bottom.
Now a few words about organized crime. The more I see of crime protection and framing of innocent people, the more alarmed
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I become. Most disquieting of all is the fact that there is no possible way of getting an investigation into alleged injustices that may keep a man in jail for the rest of his life. The final word that decides his fate may rest with the lowest-ranking policeman. If he wanted to, he could frame anyone, knowing that from the bottom to the top he will be supported. And I welcome the remarks of Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN concerning the Emergency Regulations, I give him my whole-hearted support in what he said.
People sometimes tell us that instead of criticizing we should try to find an answer to these problems. I half accept this criticism. But if people want to put these things right to whom can they make their suggestions? Where can they report them? Who will listen to them? The only sound way I know of improving laws and governments is to allow the citizens to make themselves heard. Discussions held behind closed doors can never help the public, and are only intended for the interests of the favoured few. Until these doors are opened, the public can have no hope of improvement.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I support the Motion. (Applause).
MRS. ELLEN LI SHU-PUI:- Mr. Chairman, my senior colleagues in this Council have already spoken yesterday and today on scores of subjects concerning the work of the Council as well as many other important issues outside the purview of this Council. I am just a practical housewife. I am not a social crusader nor am I a political reformer, so my remarks may sound a little short-sighted or even shallow compared to Mrs. ELLIOTT's speech just now. So this afternoon I am going to concern myself with only these problems within the Council - problems waiting to be solved so that this Council may function more efficiently, more effectively and quickly for the benefit of the people of the community.
First of all I feel that it is time this Council tries to streamline some of our working procedures, or even improve its organization, by inviting onto the Council's select committees representatives from various relevant Government departments, by getting our council represented in those Government committees which have a direct bearing on the function of the Council, and by bringing under the Council's jurisdiction at least its own services and functions in the New Territories.
The following examples may explain in more details the points and proposals I am making today.
Page 254 of 382
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Page 254 of 382
486
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
lowering production costs, releasing industrial land at reasonable prices, especially for smaller developers, giving manufacturers every possible encouragement to introduce new techniques, to variegate their products, and to find new markets, while at the same time expanding our own home market by stopping inflation and fear. Did the Government really have to hit industry by doubling water charges just when the water situation was eased? Did the Government really have to strike at the tourist trade by draining off a few dollars from their hotel bills? These mean, catch-penny methods, are short-sighted in the extreme. The Government could have done more to promote trade and attract tourist buying by granting a permanent site for the exhibition of Hong Kong products, instead of the present yearly waste. What real effort has the Hong Kong Government made to reason with the British Government over textile quotas and surcharge? Hong Kong, being a Colony, is a link in the United Kingdom's economy. Why then is Hong Kong treated as a foreign country? Why does the U.K. take no responsibility when we are in economic difficulty?
I am coming more and more to the conclusion that our economy falters because of the fundamental attitude that guides the men in the seats of power. They still regard Hong Kong as a place to visit for a few years, drain of as much money as they can, then leave the mess to their successors when they retire. Short-term civil servants must produce short-term policies; of this we have plenty of evidence in many departments. I exclude the Chairman's department. (Laughter).
One Department that has a policy so short-term that it is not visible to the naked eye is the Social Welfare Department. Without criticizing the personnel, a few of whom I know to be genuinely want- ing to serve the public, I just wonder what they do, or what they are supposed to do. The White Paper does not suggest what they plan for any of the unfortunates of our society by way of long-term plans for old age pensions, unemployment benefit, sick benefit, and the rest. And Mr. CHEONG-LEEN mentioned a few other points which might be added here. One gets the impression that the Government thinks the voluntary organizations are willing to do the work, so let them get on with it, so long as the Department can watch to see that those organi- zations do not cheat! I have heard many complaints of impoliteness shown by officers of the S.W.D. towards applicants for relief; I hope they are not true. I have complained many times about delay in deal- ing with cases. There is still much room for improvement. The Social Welfare Department should have a different outlook from the legal views of the government; instead it has become a mouth-piece for the Government policy of sparing the pence at the top and keeping the people as low as possible at the bottom.
Now a few words about organized crime. The more I see of crime protection and framing of innocent people, the more alarmed
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
487
I become. Most disquieting of all is the fact that there is no possible way of getting an investigation into alleged injustices that may keep a man in jail for the rest of his life. The final word that decides his fate may rest with the lowest-ranking policeman. If he wanted to, he could frame anyone, knowing that from the bottom to the top he will be supported. And I welcome the remarks of Mr. Hilton CHEONG- LEEN concerning the Emergency Regulations, I give him my whole hearted support in what he said.
People sometimes tell us that instead of criticizing we should try to find an answer to these problems. I half accept this criticism. But if people want to put these things right to whom can they make their suggestions? Where can they report them? Who will listen to them? The only sound way I know of improving laws and governments is to allow the citizens to make themselves heard. Discussions held behind closed doors can never help the public, and are only intended for the interests of the favoured few. Until these doors are opened, the public can have no hope of improvement.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I support the Motion. (Applause).
MRS. ELLEN LI SHU-PUI:-Mr. Chairman, my senior colleagues in this Council have already spoken yesterday and today on scores of subjects concerning the work of the Council as well as many other important issues outside the purview of this Council. I am just a prac- tical housewife. I am not a social crusader nor am I a political re- former, so my remarks may sound a little short-sighted or even shallow compared to Mrs. ELLIOTT's speech just now. So this afternoon I am going to concern myself with only these problems within the Council- problems waiting to be solved so that this Council may function more efficiently, more effectively and quickly for the benefit of the people of the community.
First of all I feel that it is time this Council tries to streamline some of our working procedures, or even improve its organization, by inviting onto the Council's select committees representatives from various relevant Government departments, by getting our council rep- resented in those Government committees which have a direct bearing on the function of the Council, and by bringing under the Council's jurisdiction at least its own services and functions in the New Terri- tories.
The following examples may explain in more details the points and proposals I am making today.
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