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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SALES (In English):-Sir, could I have an answer to my last point?
CHAIRMAN (In English):-The question is out of order again, Mr. SALES. So is yours, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. (Laughter).
MR. SALES (In English):-Mr. Chairman, may I congratulate you on your very quick interpretation of standing orders. In fact, you are having a field day since presumably you think this is the last time you are chairing the meeting. It might be a mistake.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN (In English):-Could I ask why is Government giving this Council a measure of financial independence if it is not, at the same time, exerting its utmost efforts to provide for the staff to carry out the Council's policy for the coming months?
CHAIRMAN (In English):-It is doing its best, ladies and gentlemen.
The staff are just not there.
(3) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (In English):-
Have firm assurances been given by Government concerning the financing of major projects, such as the Wong Nei Chung Reservoir Park and district Games Halls currently in Categories "B" and "C" of the Public Works Programme? In particular, has Government given clear commitments to the Urban Council on the availability of funds for the Tai Wan Park, Chai Wan, Hammer Hill and Kowloon Park Swimming Pools? May we also be assured that Government shares this Council's concern on the need for urgently providing public swimming pools in all densely populated areas and, also, for the need for heated pools for all-year-round recreation for the public?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (In English):-
Mr. MACKENZIE has asked whether firm assurances have been given by the Government with regard to major projects in the Public Works Programme. The Government will continue to build and pay for abattoirs, cemeteries and crematoria, civic centres, museums, art galleries and sports stadia. In addition, all other Urban Council items in Categories A, D and E on 31st March 1973 will be constructed from Government funds. It follows that the items mentioned specifically by Mr. MACKENZIE, such as the Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park (Category B), will fall to this Council to finance.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
381
Mr. MACKENZIE has also asked whether clear commitments on the availability of funds have been given for the swimming pools at Tai Wan, Chai Wan, Hammer Hill and Kowloon Park. With the exception of the first which, I still hope, can be upgraded to Category A before the end of this financial year, these are all items in Categories B or C of the Public Works Programme and will therefore be an Urban Council responsibility unless another source of funding can be found.
I am asked to advise the Council that Government fully shares its concern with the need to provide public swimming pools in densely populated areas.
The present construction programme will go some way towards meeting the need: when all pools at present in the Programme have been completed, which may be expected by 1979, there will then be four such complexes in Hong Kong and seven in Kowloon with a total of 67 pools of various dimensions.
The first heated pool at Morrison Hill was open for public use on 1st November, 1972. The Tai Wan swimming pool complex will include an open-air heated pool. It may be advisable for Council to await the completion of this second heated pool before deciding on a firm policy for the construction of more such pools.
MR. MACKENZIE (In English):-Mr. Chairman, in view of the fact that the construction of a number of swimming pools within a restricted budgeting period represents quite a substantial and exceptional amount of cash, would it not be reasonable that some more specific assurances be given that there will be no delay in the swimming pool construction because of any financial problem.
MR. SALES (In English):-Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to Mr. MACKENZIE for asking that question. For quite a considerable time, as you know, I have called upon Government to give this Council an open-ended assurance that all capital requirements for projects which the Council has proposed will be carried out and paid for by the Government, because the delay in completing these projects has not been the fault of the Council or, if you wish, of the Public Works Department or any other department, but because of dilatoriness in perhaps giving approval or moving up this project in the Public Works Programme. This is the attitude this Council has taken, but it has not found favour with the central government.
Page 201 of 206
Page 201 of 206
380
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SALES (In English):-Sir, could I have an answer to my last point?
CHAIRMAN (In English):-The question is out of order again, Mr. SALES. So is yours, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. (Laughter).
1}
MR. SALES (In English):-Mr. Chairman, may I congratulate you on your very quick interpretation of standing orders. In fact, you are having a field day since presumably you think this is the last time you are chairing the meeting. It might be a mistake.
į
MR. CHEONG-LEEN (In English):-Could I ask why is Government giving this Council a measure of financial independence if it is not, at the same time, exerting its utmost efforts to provide for the staff to carry out the Council's policy for the coming months?
men.
CHAIRMAN (In English):-It is doing its best, ladies and gentle-
The staff are just not there.
(3) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (In English): -
Have firm assurances been given by Government concerning the financing of major projects, such as the Wongnei- chong Reservoir Park and district Games Halls currently in Categories "B" and "C" of the Public Works Pro- gramme? In particular, has Government given clear commitments to the Urban Council on the availability of funds for the Taiwan Park, Chai Wan, Hammer Hill and Kowloon Park Swimming Pools? May we also be assured that Government shares this Council's concern on the need for urgently providing public swimming pools in all densely populated areas and, also, for the need for heated pools for all-year-round recreation for the public?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES Select Committee, replied as follows (In English) :-
Mr. MACKENZIE has asked whether firm assurances have been given by the Government with regard to major projects in the Public Works Programme. The Government will continue to build and pay for abattoirs, cemeteries and crematoria, civic centres, museums, art galleries and sports stadia. In addition, all other Urban Council items in Categories A, D and E on 31st March 1973 will be constructed from Government funds. It follows that the items mentioned specifically by Mr. MACKENZIE, such
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
381
as the Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park (Category B), will fall to this Council to finance.
Mr. MACKENZIE has also asked whether clear commitments on the availability of funds have been given for the swim- ming pools at Tai Wan, Chai Wan, Hammer Hill and Kowloon Park. With the exception of the first which, I still hope, can be upgraded to Category A before the end of this financial year, these are all items in Categories B or C of the Public Works Programme and will therefore be an Urban Council responsibility unless another source of funding can be found.
I am asked to advise the Council that Government fully shares its concern with the need to provide public swim- ming pools in densely populated areas.
The present construction programme will go some way towards meet- ing the need: when all pools at present in the Programme have been completed, which may be expected by 1979, there will then be four such complexes in Hong Kong and seven in Kowloon with a total of 67 pools of various dimensions.
The first heated pool at Morrison Hill was open for public use on 1st November, 1972. The Tai Wan swimming pool complex will include an open-air heated pool. It may be advisable for Council to await the completion of this second heated pool before deciding on a firm policy for the construction of more such pools.
MR. MACKENZIE (In English):-Mr. Chairman, in view of the fact that the construction of a number of swimming pools within a restricted budgeting period represents quite a substantial and excep- tional amount of cash, would it not be reasonable that some more specific assurances be given that there will be no delay in the swimming pool construction because of any financial problem.
MR. SALES (In English):-Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to Mr. MACKENZIE for asking that question. For quite a considerable time, as you know, I have called upon Government to give this Council an open-ended assurance that all capital requirements for projects which the Council has proposed will be carried out and paid for by the Government, because the delay in completing these projects has not been the fault of the Council or, if you wish, of the Public Works Department or any other department, but because of dilatoriness in perhaps giving approval or moving up this project in the Public Works Programme. This is the attitude this Council has taken, but it has not found favour with the central government.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.