1974 — Page 27

Page 27 of 187

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Appendices I & II.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Tak East Playground, with the indoor games hall; the Wong Tai Sin and Shek Tong Tsui Markets; and the Stage III extension to the Cape Collinson Columbarium.

6 Public Works Programme items with an estimated total value of nearly $9 million are likely to be completed during the current financial year.

So, in accordance with Standing Order 12(8), I am now tabling for information of Members a list detailing the projects referred to in my reply.

MR. JOHN MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman. The Urban Council's current year programme is in sad contrast to the discussion previously regarding our 300 outstanding works. Further, on these tabled projects for this year, we delete Kennedy Town which is now in process of finalization, and we are left with a paltry amount of 1.6 million expenditure for this year. Do I understand, Sir, that the Urban Council has in fact accepted this? Have we been consulted? Have our policies been discussed regarding our projects, or is this a “fait accompli" passed to us by the Central Government?

MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE (in English):-That is a difficult question to answer, I may say. The definition of a “fait accompli", as I under- stand it, is something which has been accomplished. As we only recently set up a Works Planning Sub-Committee to consider the whole aspect, I would like to think, Mr. Chairman, that nothing is as disastrous as described by Mr. MACKENZIE. This list, this rather modest, miserable list, excluding the swimming pool, is not at all satisfactory to me personally or to any Member of this Council, and certainly won't be to the Works Planning Sub-Committee.

We are having only our second meeting in about ten days' time, and I can assure Mr. MACKENZIE that all the problems which are envisaged by Government at this moment in carrying out our more ambitious scheme will be brought to light, and this Council as right and proper, will be kept fully informed about action which we intend to initiate.

MR. JOHN MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman. I am en- couraged by those remarks, and I hope that we will be able to change this. May I ask if Mr. FORSGATE has in fact any information on the proposed items which have been cut back from the original programme for the year.

MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE (in English):-The only information I have is that a number of items, some twenty in all, have been taken off

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the scheduled list, but may be considered. Amongst those, I think, will be items which he questioned about earlier this year, namely our beach buildings at various beaches.

MR. JOHN MACKENZIE (in English):-This was my next question, in fact. At the January meeting, I raised a question on the urgently required showers, toilets and changing rooms at our major island beaches. I was told at that time, and I quote: "The Public Works Department assures me that the construction work on five of these six buildings will start this year and, subject to no unforeseen delays, of course, they should be completed for use by the public during the 1974 swimming season. Is this reply meaningless, Sir, or do we understand that the Public Works Department does not have the courtesy to refer to us before reaching a decision to delete items, which we consider important, from our programme?

MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE (in English):-Well, I wouldn't like to answer on behalf of the P.W.D., I can assure you, Mr. Chairman. Unfortunately, we no longer have that Official Member sitting at this end of the table. But if I may hazard a guess as to why they have deleted them, it is because they probably haven't got the wherewithal to do it.

At this moment of time, I do not think they have. But it is up to us, I think, Mr. Chairman, to see that those very necessary items are reinserted because, after all, under the administrative pro- cedures of the handover of various projects, we were assured that those items and quite a few others, would be dealt with by Govern- ment. But it is now up to my Sub-Committee to see that the effort is put where it can do most good, and I can assure Mr. MACKENZIE, particularly as he is a Member of that Sub-Committee, that that effort will be made.

MR. HENRY HU (in English):-I would ask one supplementary. About the second paragraph of the answer, six Public Works Pro- gramme items with a total estimated value of about 91⁄2 million dollars. Because of increase in the cost of various materials or labour, would that amount of money be increased if we really want to complete six items?

MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE (in English):-Well, I would imagine the short answer would be "Yes", because nothing nowadays ever ends up costing what it was originally estimated to be. That is merely an expression of opinion, if I may so do.

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Any other supplementary question? May I then at this point state that this list is in addition to the minor