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(2) The public as a whole will benefit by the fact that there will be more young people with specialized knowledge to serve the community.
(3) By diverting the surplus energy of the young in their spare time towards higher studies and intellectual improvements the youth problem will be to some extent alleviated.
(4) It provides more opportunities for students at home, thus minimizing the problem of brain-drain.
On the last point, it is obvious that if a young man can pursue higher studies locally in the evening while working during the day, he will not be so easily attracted by lesser opportunities abroad. In Australia, the United States of America, Canada, and other advanced countries, many part-time degree courses catering for young students working their way through college and for adults who want to better themselves intellectually or financially have been run with tremendous success.
It is envisaged that initially a course leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree for about 200 be established, taking full advantage of the existing facilities in the two universities. As soon as the scheme is well under way, and proves to be successful, other faculties may be set up. Needless to say, the quality and standard of the enrolled students will have to be on parity with those of the two day universities if the evening graduates will not be subjected to eventual discrimination. At the beginning, it may rely on the services of the same professors and lecturers who lecture at the day universities and the students sit for the same examinations.
At any rate, this is, in my opinion, an economical and efficient way of solving a pressing problem in Hong Kong, and it does merit serious and immediate consideration. I do hope this matter will be closely studied and some pilot scheme be implemented in the near future.
This third subject I wish to raise is the need for building a convention hall with auxiliary facilities of international standard. The growth of our tourist industry in recent years is astonishing. Last year, a total of about 620,000 tourists visited Hong Kong, but the trend this year is even more remarkable. In the months from May to July, the number of visitors to Hong Kong amounted to 163,000, representing an increase of 37.4% over the same period of last year. It is further anticipated that in 1971, the figure will exceed the one million mark. With the increasing number of hotel projects being undertaken in Hong Kong, tourists will not find it very difficult to obtain accommodation and we can rightly expect bigger boom in tourism in the coming years.
At the public auction held in the City Hall this afternoon it is expected that the piece of choice land at the junction of Nathan Road and Salisbury Road, with a total area of about 50,000 sq. ft. will fetch an amount almost double its upset price of $25 million and will be developed into a luxury hotel of over 1,000 guest rooms. This certainly demonstrates the confidence that investors have in the future of Hong Kong. I would like to take this opportunity to say how very pleased I am that I have contributed to this in some small way. It may be recalled that there were no bidders at the first auction for the land in January this year and I repeatedly urged Government to consider relaxing the existing building regulations on the design of hotel buildings and to introduce a long-term easy payment system for intending purchasers. It is most gratifying to note that Government approach problems with an open mind and is ready to consider and accept proposals beneficial to the community. At this point, I would like to add a rider and that is, perhaps due to the implementation of these proposals, the land has been auctioned off at the rather handsome sum of $130 million, more than 5 times the upset price.
I now hope Government would take advantage of the impending removal of the Tsim Sha Tsui Terminal of the Kowloon and Canton Railway, and use some of the proceeds from this auction and erect on the vacated site a first-class Convention Centre that will be representative of the image of Hong Kong as the Eiffel Tower does the image of Paris or the Opera House of Sydney. With giant jet-liners bringing in large numbers of tourists and international convention delegates, Hong Kong must have the facilities to meet their requirements so that, in future, we shall be able to prevent a recurrence of the 1970 Baptist Conference being diverted to Tokyo for lack of convention facilities here. It may be argued by some that the indoor stadium to be built on the Hung Hom reclamation may be profitably employed for conventions, if necessary. However, I cannot agree as the facilities offered by an athletic stadium are entirely different from those needed for international or regional conventions.
The Tsim Sha Tsui site is beautifully scenic, commanding a panoramic view of our world famous harbour. It is easily accessible by land and sea traffic and ample parking spaces are available in the neighbourhood. If our Convention Centre is designed in a garden setting, nothing in the world can ever better it.
It is not necessary to emphasize the economic importance of tourism to Hong Kong. However, it is necessary to stress the importance of vigorous and continuous efforts in the promotion in this field. A world-standard convention centre in Tsim Sha Tsui is one of the answers.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure in supporting the Motion. (Applause).
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Page 174 of 237
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(2) The public as a whole will benefit by the fact that there will be more young people with specialized knowledge to serve the community.
(3) By diverting the surplus energy of the young in their spare time towards higher studies and intellectual improvements the youth problem will be to some extent alleviated.
(4) It provides more opportunities for students at home, thus
minimizing the problem of brain-drain.
On the last point, it is obvious that if a young man can pursue higher studies locally in the evening while working during the day, he will not be so easily attracted by lesser opportunities abroad. In Australia, the United States of America, Canada, and other advanced countries, many part-time degree courses catering for young students working their way through college and for adults who want to better themselves intellectually or financially have been run with tremendous success.
It is envisaged that initially a course leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree for about 200 be established, taking full advantage of the existing facilities in the two universities. As soon as the scheme is well under way, and proves to be successful, other faculties may be set up. Needless to say, the quality and standard of the enrolled students will have to be on parity with those of the two day universities if the evening graduates will not be subjected to eventual discrimination. At the beginning, it may rely on the services of the same professors and lecturers who lecture at the day universities and the students sit for the same examinations.
At any rate, this is, in my opinion, an economical and efficient way of solving a pressing problem in Hong Kong, and it does merit serious and immediate consideration. I do hope this matter will be closely studied and some pilot scheme be implemented in the near future.
This third subject I wish to raise is the need for building a conven- tion hall with auxiliary facilities of international standard. The growth of our tourist industry in recent years is astonishing. Last year, a total of about 620,000 tourists visited Hong Kong, but the trend this year is even more remarkable. In the months from May to July, the number of visitors to Hong Kong amounted to 163,000, representing an increase of 37.4% over the same period of last year. It is further anticipated that in 1971, the figure will exceed the one million mark. With the increasing number of hotel projects being undertaken in Hong Kong, tourists will not find it very difficult to obtain accommodation and we can rightly expect bigger boom in tourism in the coming years.
At the public auction held in the City Hall this afternoon it is expected that the piece of choice land at the junction of Nathan Road
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
325
and Salisbury Road, with a total area of about 50,000 sq. ft. will fetch an amount almost double its upset price of $25 million and will be developed into a luxury hotel of over 1,000 guest rooms. This certainly demonstrates the confidence that investors have in the future of Hong Kong. I would like to take this opportunity to say how very pleased I am that I have contributed to this in some small way. It may be recalled that there were no bidders at the first auction for the land in January this year and I repeatedly urged Government to con- sider relaxing the existing building regulations on the design of hotel buildings and to introduce a long-term easy payment system for intending purchasers. It is most gratifying to note that Government approach problems with an open mind and is ready to consider and accept proposals beneficial to the community. At this point, I would like to add a rider and that is, perhaps due to the implementation of these proposals, the land has been auctioned off at the rather handsome sum of $130 million, more than 5 times the upset price.
I now hope Government would take advantage of the impending removal of the Tsim Sha Tsui Terminal of the Kowloon and Canton Railway, and use some of the proceeds from this auction and erect on the vacated site a first-class Convention Centre that will be repre- sentative of the image of Hong Kong as the Eiffel Tower does the image of Paris or the Opera House of Sydney. With giant jet-liners bringing in large numbers of tourists and international convention delegates, Hong Kong must have the facilities to meet their require- ments so that, in future, we shall be able to prevent a recurrence of the 1970 Baptist Conference being diverted to Tokyo for lack of con- vention facilities here. It may be argued by some that the indoor stadium to be built on the Hung Hom reclamation may be profitably employed for conventions, if necessary. However, I cannot agree as the facilities offered by an athletic stadium are entirely different from those needed for international or regional conventions.
The Tsim Sha Tsui site is beautifully scenic, commanding a panoramic view of our world famous harbour. It is easily accessible by land and sea traffic and ample parking spaces are available in the neighbourhood. If our Convention Centre is designed in a garden setting, nothing in the world can ever better it.
It is not necessary to emphasize the economic importance of tourism to Hong Kong. However, it is necessary to stress the importance of vigorous and continuous efforts in the promotion in this field. A world-standard convention centre in Tsim Sha Tsui is one of the answers.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure in supporting the Motion. (Applause).
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.