1972 — Page 138

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 138 of 206

254

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

once again the unsatisfactory level of the services provided by government hospitals due mainly to serious understaffing of professional personnel, a cause of public complaint over the years. This incident is of particular significance as Europeans, and government servants in particular, enjoy such privileges as hardly ever being admitted to a public ward and usually being treated with much greater consideration. This also illustrates the hard fact that MEN is more important than MATERIAL. Though Queen Elizabeth Hospital is the biggest and best equipped hospital in the whole Commonwealth, I doubt very much if one can honestly say that our standard of service is comparable to that in the United Kingdom or Canada. Indeed, I am always deeply sympathetic towards my professional colleagues and nurses working in government institutions and admire their praiseworthy spirit in serving the public under such hardships.

In order to help to meet the definite and urgent need for more doctors, to provide opportunities for Chinese middle school graduates to study medicine and to accelerate the raising of standards through cooperation and competition, once again, I propose the setting up of a medical school in the Chinese University of Hong Kong with the least form of delay.

(Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point.)

The sole objection put forward by government authorities in the past has been that it is cheaper to expand an existing institution than to establish a new one. I hereby announce that I will undertake to raise up to ten million dollars to start the project. I ask our Government to agree in principle that we may have an additional medical training institution, that its recurrent expenditure will be taken care of and that government hospitals in Kowloon may be used for teaching purposes. I am confident that with the present facilities available in the Chinese University and selfless assistance from the University of Hong Kong we can have an additional medical school within a reasonably short period.

Finally, as chairman of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, I am glad to be able to say that up to this stage the campaign has been doing well. Special tribute must be paid to the Publicity Working Group, of which the Acting Director of the Government Information Department is the convenor, and the Community Involvement Working Group, with the Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs as its convenor. The excellent response to our publicity work is appreciated and acknowledged by the campaign committee and the tremendous success in getting tens of thousands of volunteers to participate in the campaign is most impressive. Regrettably, some senior staff members of the Urban Services Department have failed to adjust themselves to accepting leadership from an unofficial chairman, a situation that has cost me a good deal of extra time and effort to achieve the present results. Generally speaking, the members of the Campaign Committee, drawn from thirteen different departments, have been working closely and smoothly together as a team and I would like to take this opportunity to express to them my deep gratitude.

Coming back to the campaign itself, judging from what I have seen during my daily two-hour inspections since 17th October, the concerted efforts made by Resettlement Department staff in removing illegal structures, by the Hawker Control Force and the cleansing staff of the Urban Services Department has proved highly satisfactory. However, having regard to the huge expenditure and additional manpower spent on these operations, the results are not beyond reasonable expectations and the much more important and difficult task before us now is to keep things that way. We fully realize that no matter how successful the publicity work, its effect will not be lasting. This was why we asked for a strong law and a small but permanent anti-litter squad to enforce it. While most of the main streets, once cleaned have remained tolerably clean, many side streets have already shown signs of reverting to their original state. Many ground floor shopkeepers obviously didn't take the relevant legislation very seriously and may still think that this Campaign is just another Government operation, a situation we have tried hard to prevent and must take active measures to stop. I am confident that with the volunteer workers fully mobilized and exerting their utmost efforts and with firm action through our anti-litter squads we shall succeed.

Thank you. (Applause).

MR. PETER P. F. CHAN (In Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, it gives me the greatest pleasure in being able to address this Council in Cantonese. I think that this marks the beginning of an era of communication between government and the people. When the Chinese language campaign first started, I thought that every one should give it support. Since the 1967 disturbances, communication between people and government have greatly improved. In my opinion, communication among people is a natural phenomenon, just as water will flow to its own level. In attending to the welfare of those who are handicapped in communication, such as the deaf, the dumb and the blind, I observe that each of them has a great desire to communicate with those more fortunate and among themselves. If you leave two deaf and dumb in a confined space, they soon will communicate. In Hong Kong as the great majority is Chinese and the use of Chinese officially and unofficially will naturally increase. The rate of increase is however too slow. If Cantonese is being used in this Council and

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

255

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Page 138 of 206 254 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL once again the unsatisfactory level of the services provided by government hospitals due mainly to serious understaffing of professional personnel, a cause of public complaint over the years. This incident is of particular significance as Europeans, and government servants in particular, enjoy such privileges as hardly ever being admitted to a public ward and usually being treated with much greater consideration. This also illustrates the hard fact that MEN is more important than MATERIAL. Though Queen Elizabeth Hospital is the biggest and best equipped hospital in the whole Commonwealth, I doubt very much if one can honestly say that our standard of service is comparable to that in the United Kingdom or Canada. Indeed, I am always deeply sympathetic towards my professional colleagues and nurses working in government institutions and admire their praiseworthy spirit in serving the public under such hardships. In order to help to meet the definite and urgent need for more doctors, to provide opportunities for Chinese middle school graduates to study medicine and to accelerate the raising of standards through cooperation and competition, once again, I propose the setting up of a medical school in the Chinese University of Hong Kong with the least form of delay. (Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point.) The sole objection put forward by government authorities in the past has been that it is cheaper to expand an existing institution than to establish a new one. I hereby announce that I will undertake to raise up to ten million dollars to start the project. I ask our Government to agree in principle that we may have an additional medical training institution, that its recurrent expenditure will be taken care of and that government hospitals in Kowloon may be used for teaching purposes. I am confident that with the present facilities available in the Chinese University and selfless assistance from the University of Hong Kong we can have an additional medical school within a reasonably short period. Finally, as chairman of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, I am glad to be able to say that up to this stage the campaign has been doing well. Special tribute must be paid to the Publicity Working Group, of which the Acting Director of the Government Information Department is the convenor, and the Community Involvement Working Group, with the Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs as its convenor. The excellent response to our publicity work is appreciated and acknowledged by the campaign committee and the tremendous success in getting tens of thousands of volunteers to participate in the campaign is most impressive. Regrettably, some senior staff members of the Urban Services Department have failed to adjust themselves to accepting leadership from an unofficial chairman, a situation that has cost me a good deal of extra time and effort to achieve the present results. Generally speaking, the members of the Campaign Committee, drawn from thirteen different departments, have been working closely and smoothly together as a team and I would like to take this opportunity to express to them my deep gratitude. Coming back to the campaign itself, judging from what I have seen during my daily two-hour inspections since 17th October, the concerted efforts made by Resettlement Department staff in removing illegal structures, by the Hawker Control Force and the cleansing staff of the Urban Services Department has proved highly satisfactory. However, having regard to the huge expenditure and additional manpower spent on these operations, the results are not beyond reasonable expectations and the much more important and difficult task before us now is to keep things that way. We fully realize that no matter how successful the publicity work, its effect will not be lasting. This was why we asked for a strong law and a small but permanent anti-litter squad to enforce it. While most of the main streets, once cleaned have remained tolerably clean, many side streets have already shown signs of reverting to their original state. Many ground floor shopkeepers obviously didn't take the relevant legislation very seriously and may still think that this Campaign is just another Government operation, a situation we have tried hard to prevent and must take active measures to stop. I am confident that with the volunteer workers fully mobilized and exerting their utmost efforts and with firm action through our anti-litter squads we shall succeed. Thank you. (Applause). MR. PETER P. F. CHAN (In Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, it gives me the greatest pleasure in being able to address this Council in Cantonese. I think that this marks the beginning of an era of communication between government and the people. When the Chinese language campaign first started, I thought that every one should give it support. Since the 1967 disturbances, communication between people and government have greatly improved. In my opinion, communication among people is a natural phenomenon, just as water will flow to its own level. In attending to the welfare of those who are handicapped in communication, such as the deaf, the dumb and the blind, I observe that each of them has a great desire to communicate with those more fortunate and among themselves. If you leave two deaf and dumb in a confined space, they soon will communicate. In Hong Kong as the great majority is Chinese and the use of Chinese officially and unofficially will naturally increase. The rate of increase is however too slow. If Cantonese is being used in this Council and HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 255 Page ... Page 139 of 206
Baseline (Original)
Page Page 138 of 206 254 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL once again the unsatisfactory level of the services provided by govern- ment hospitals due mainly to serious understaffing of professional personnel, a cause of public complaint over the years. This incident is of particular significance as Europeans, and government servants in particular, enjoy such privileges as hardly ever being admitted to a public ward and usually being treated with much greater considera- tion. This also illustrates the hard fact that MEN is more important than MATERIAL. Though Queen Elizabeth Hospital is the biggest and best equipped hospital in the whole Commonwealth, I doubt very much if one can honestly say that our standard of service is com- parable to that in the United Kingdom or Canada. Indeed, I am always deeply sympathetic towards my professional colleagues and nurses working in government institutions and admire their praise- worthy spirit in serving the public under such hardships. In order to help to meet the definite and urgent need for more doctors, to provide opportunities for Chinese middle school graduates to study medicine and to accelerate the raising of standards through cooperation and competition, once again, I propose the setting up of a medical school in the Chinese University of Hong Kong with the least form of delay. (Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point.) The sole objection put forward by government authorities in the past has been that it is cheaper to expand an existing institution than to establish a new one. I hereby announce that I will undertake to raise up to ten million dollars to start the project. I ask our Government to agree in principle that we may have an additional medical training institution, that its recurrent expenditure will be taken care of and that government hospitals in Kowloon may be used for teaching purposes. I am confident that with the present facilities available in the Chinese University and selfless assistance from the University of Hong Kong we can have an additional medical school within a reasonably short period. Finally, as chairman of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, I am glad to be able to say that up to this stage the campaign has been doing well. Special tribute must be paid to the Publicity Working Group, of which the Acting Director of the Govemment Information Department is the convenor, and the Community Involvement Working Group, with the Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs as its convenor. The excellent response to our publicity work is appreciated and acknowledged by the campaign committee and the tremendous success in getting tens of thousands of volunteers to participate in the cam- paign is most impressive. Regrettably, some senior staff members of the Urban Services Department have failed to adjust themselves to HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 255 accepting leadership from an unofficial chairman, a situation that has cost me a good deal of extra time and effort to achieve the present results. Generally speaking, the members of the Campaign Committee, drawn from thirteen different departments, have been working closely and smoothly together as a team and I would like to take this opportunity to express to them my deep gratitude. Coming back to the campaign itself, judging from what I have seen during my daily two-hour inspections since 17th October, the concerted efforts made by Resettlement Department staff in removing illegal structures, by the Hawker Control Force and the cleansing staff of the Urban Services Department has proved highly satisfactory. However, having regard to the huge expenditure and additional man- power spent on these operations, the results are not beyond reasonable expectations and the much more important and difficult task before us now is to keep things that way. We fully realize that no matter how successful the publicity work, its effect will not be lasting. This was why we asked for a strong law and a small but permanent While most of the main army of anti-litter squads to enforce it. streets, once cleaned have remained tolerably clean, many side streets have already shown signs of reverting to their original state. Many ground floor shopkeepers obviously didn't take the relevant legislation very seriously and may still think that this Campaign is just another Government operation, a situation we have tried hard to prevent and must take active measures to stop. I am confident that with the volunteer workers fully mobilized and exerting their utmost efforts and with firm action through our anti-litter squads we shall succeed. Thank you. (Applause). MR. PETER P. F. CHAN (In Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, it gives me the greatest pleasure in being able to address this Council in Cantonese. I think that this marks the beginning of an era of com- munication between government and the people. When the Chinese language campaign first started, I thought that every one should give it support. Since the 1967 disturbances, communication between people and government have greatly improved. In my opinion, com- munication among people is a natural phenomena, just as water will flow to its own level. In attending the welfare of those who are handicapped in communication, such as the deaf, the dumb and the blind, I observe that each of them has a great desire to communicate with those more furtunate and among themselves. If you leave two deaf and dumb in a confined space, they soon will communicate. In Hong Kong as the great majority is Chinese and the use of Chinese officially and unofficially will naturally increase. The rate of increase is however too slow. If Cantonese is being used in this Council and
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Page 138 of 206

254

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

once again the unsatisfactory level of the services provided by govern- ment hospitals due mainly to serious understaffing of professional personnel, a cause of public complaint over the years. This incident is of particular significance as Europeans, and government servants in particular, enjoy such privileges as hardly ever being admitted to a public ward and usually being treated with much greater considera- tion. This also illustrates the hard fact that MEN is more important than MATERIAL. Though Queen Elizabeth Hospital is the biggest and best equipped hospital in the whole Commonwealth, I doubt very much if one can honestly say that our standard of service is com- parable to that in the United Kingdom or Canada. Indeed, I am always deeply sympathetic towards my professional colleagues and nurses working in government institutions and admire their praise- worthy spirit in serving the public under such hardships.

In order to help to meet the definite and urgent need for more doctors, to provide opportunities for Chinese middle school graduates to study medicine and to accelerate the raising of standards through cooperation and competition, once again, I propose the setting up of a medical school in the Chinese University of Hong Kong with the least form of delay.

(Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point.)

The sole objection put forward by government authorities in the past has been that it is cheaper to expand an existing institution than to establish a new one. I hereby announce that I will undertake to raise up to ten million dollars to start the project. I ask our Government to agree in principle that we may have an additional medical training institution, that its recurrent expenditure will be taken care of and that government hospitals in Kowloon may be used for teaching purposes. I am confident that with the present facilities available in the Chinese University and selfless assistance from the University of Hong Kong we can have an additional medical school within a reasonably short period.

Finally, as chairman of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, I am glad to be able to say that up to this stage the campaign has been doing well. Special tribute must be paid to the Publicity Working Group, of which the Acting Director of the Govemment Information Department is the convenor, and the Community Involvement Working Group, with the Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs as its convenor. The excellent response to our publicity work is appreciated and acknowledged by the campaign committee and the tremendous success in getting tens of thousands of volunteers to participate in the cam- paign is most impressive. Regrettably, some senior staff members of the Urban Services Department have failed to adjust themselves to

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

255

accepting leadership from an unofficial chairman, a situation that has cost me a good deal of extra time and effort to achieve the present results. Generally speaking, the members of the Campaign Committee, drawn from thirteen different departments, have been working closely and smoothly together as a team and I would like to take this opportunity to express to them my deep gratitude.

Coming back to the campaign itself, judging from what I have seen during my daily two-hour inspections since 17th October, the concerted efforts made by Resettlement Department staff in removing illegal structures, by the Hawker Control Force and the cleansing staff of the Urban Services Department has proved highly satisfactory. However, having regard to the huge expenditure and additional man- power spent on these operations, the results are not beyond reasonable expectations and the much more important and difficult task before us now is to keep things that way. We fully realize that no matter how successful the publicity work, its effect will not be lasting. This was why we asked for a strong law and a small but permanent While most of the main army of anti-litter squads to enforce it. streets, once cleaned have remained tolerably clean, many side streets have already shown signs of reverting to their original state. Many ground floor shopkeepers obviously didn't take the relevant legislation very seriously and may still think that this Campaign is just another Government operation, a situation we have tried hard to prevent and must take active measures to stop. I am confident that with the volunteer workers fully mobilized and exerting their utmost efforts and with firm action through our anti-litter squads we shall succeed.

Thank you. (Applause).

MR. PETER P. F. CHAN (In Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, it gives me the greatest pleasure in being able to address this Council in Cantonese. I think that this marks the beginning of an era of com- munication between government and the people. When the Chinese language campaign first started, I thought that every one should give it support. Since the 1967 disturbances, communication between people and government have greatly improved. In my opinion, com- munication among people is a natural phenomena, just as water will flow to its own level. In attending the welfare of those who are handicapped in communication, such as the deaf, the dumb and the blind, I observe that each of them has a great desire to communicate with those more furtunate and among themselves. If you leave two deaf and dumb in a confined space, they soon will communicate. In Hong Kong as the great majority is Chinese and the use of Chinese officially and unofficially will naturally increase. The rate of increase is however too slow. If Cantonese is being used in this Council and

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