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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Recreation & Amenities Select Committee is conscious to a high degree of the need to co-ordinate the efforts of all organizations engaged in youth work so as to guide the leisure hours of our young people into constructive channels. I shall today, in another context, mention my recent meeting with representatives of some organizations including the Hong Kong & Kowloon Joint Kaifong Research Council. I might add that it was the close liaison reached in this meeting which resulted in the organization of the first "Let's Get Together" show in Morse Park, which proved to be a very successful joint venture by the Boy Scout Association and this Council. The Royal Life Saving Society is another voluntary organization which has elected to work together with the Urban Council in promoting the welfare of Hong Kong's youth.
Let me assure this Council that my Select Committee will not be content to let the movement rest there. I was prompted by a sense of urgency to raise the subject again in the last meeting of the Recreation & Amenities Select Committee and I am pleased to record that the Director of Social Welfare will be sending his representative to future meetings of this liaison committee. I trust, too, that an invitation which is to be sent to the Division of Youth of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service will encourage that body to participate with us to the advantage of Hong Kong's youth.
I know that my friend Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN, will want me to give even more background information in replying to his question than I need have done. I hasten to add that I have been deliberately comprehensive in my reply in order that Members may be aware of the efforts being made behind the scenes, as it were, to tackle a pressing problem. The Kaifong Associations, I repeat, are represented on the informal ad hoc liaison committee and I am confident that, through this contact, we shall together achieve a worthwhile programme of action to provide a wide variety of facilities for recreation throughout the whole of the urban area. They are free to raise any other matter which they may wish to do as a possible measure of further joint effort with the Council, and can be assured of a sympathetic hearing.
Two other links have recently been forged between this Council and Kaifong Associations. The Executive Officer (Recreation) of the Urban Services Department is in constant contact with the head of the Kaifong Liaison Unit of the Resettlement Department. These two officers were able to help the local Kaifong Association in Shek Pai Wan to select participants in last Saturday's "Swim-In". Finally, I must add that executives of the Recreation & Amenities Division of the Urban Services Department have responded to a directive to consult and liaise closely with all kaifongs. Several visits have been made in recent months to meetings held with kaifongs, and organized by the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs, when the opportunity has been taken to give details of this Council's recreation programme in the various districts of the urban area.
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MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, what is the Chinese term for "Swim-In"?
MR. SALES:- “Yau Sui”. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, were the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee aware of the Chinese term when they decided to have a "Swim-In"?
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, I was most distracted after that explosion of laughter on the part of my fellow Councillors. I thank them for the sympathetic laughter. I think that this shows the tremendous sympathy which my fellow Councillors have for me in my endeavour to interpret Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's question. Would he please repeat himself?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, can you confirm that it was only "yau sui" or "sun chiu yau sui"? Perhaps the Secretary for Chinese Affairs who is a knowledgeable expert on this subject could elucidate?
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that he is introducing a new matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, can I clarify by a supplementary. What was the Chinese term used by the Department for "Swim-In"?
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, properly speaking, that is also introducing a new matter because the term is not part of the main question.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, may I ask then, in clarification, -in further clarification of my supplementary- when the term "Swim-In" was decided on in the context of this general reply, was the Select Committee aware of what the Chinese term would be for "Swim-In"? I'm simply asking a question of fact Mr. Chairman,
Page 52 of 243
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Page 51 of 243
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Recreation & Amenities Select Committee is conscious to a high degree of the need to co-ordinate the efforts of all organizations engaged in youth work so as to guide the leisure hours of our young people into constructive channels. I shall today, in another context, mention my recent meeting with representatives of some organizations including the Hong Kong & Kowloon Joint Kaifong Research Council. I might add that it was the close liaison reached in this meeting which resulted in the or- ganization of the first "Let's Get Together" show in Morse Park, which proved to be a very successful joint venture by the Boy Scout Association and this Council. The Royal Life Saving Society is another voluntary or- ganization which has elected to work together with the Urban Council in promoting the welfare of Hong Kong's youth.
Let me assure this Council that my Select Committee will not be content to let the movement rest there. I was prompted by a sense of urgency to raise the subject again in the last meeting of the Recreation & Amenities Select Committee and I am pleased to record that the Director of Social Welfare will be sending his representative to future meetings of this liaison committee. I trust, too, that an invitation which is to be sent to the Division of Youth of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service will encourage that body to participate with us to the advantage of Hong Kong's youth.
I know that my friend Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN, will want me to give even more background information in replying to his question than I need have done. I hasten to add that I have been deliberately comprehensive in my reply in order that Members may be aware of the efforts being made behind the scenes, as it were, to tackle a pressing problem. The Kaifong Associations, I repeat, are rep- resented on the informal ad hoc liaison committee and I am confident that, through this contact, we shall together achieve a worthwhile programme of action to provide a wide variety of facilities for recreation through- out the whole of the urban area. They are free to raise any other matter which they may wish to do as a possible measure of further joint effort with the Council, and can be assured of a sympathetic hearing.
Two other links have recently been forged between this Council and Kaifong Associations. The Executive Officer (Rec- reation) of the Urban Services Department is in constant
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
85
contact with the head of the Kaifong Liaison Unit of the Resettlement Department. These two officers were able
to help the local Kaifong Association in Shek Pai Wan to select participants in last Saturday's "Swim-In". Final- ly, I must add that executives of the Recreation & Ameni- ties Division of the Urban Services Department have responded to a directive to consult and liaise closely with all kaifongs. Several visits have been made in recent months to meetings held with kaifongs, and organized by the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs, when the opportunity has been taken to give details of this Council's recreation programme in the various districts of the urban area.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, what is the Chinese term for "Swim-In"?
MR. SALES: -“Yau Sui”. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, were the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee aware of the Chinese term when they decided to have a "Swim-In"?
MR. SALES-Mr. Chairman, I was most distracted after that explosion of laughter on the part of my fellow Councillors. I thank them for the sympathetic laughter. I think that this shows the tre- mendous sympathy which my fellow Councillors have for me in my endeavour to interpret Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's question. Would he please repeat himself?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, can you confirm that it was only "yau sui" or "sun chiu yau sui"? Perhaps the Secretary for Chinese Affairs who is a knowledgeable expert on this subject could elucidate?
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that he is introducing a new matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, can I clarify by a supple- mentary. What was the Chinese term used by the Department for "Swim-In"?
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, properly speaking, that is also intro- ducing a new matter because the term is not part of the main question.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: ----Mr. Chairman, may I ask then, in clarification, -in further clarification of my supplementary-when the term "Swim- In" was decided on in the context of this general reply, was the Select Committee aware of what the Chinese term would be for "Swim-In"? I'm simply asking a question of fact Mr. Chairman,
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