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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The aims of the Recreation and Sports Council will be largely achieved by appointing District Recreational Officers, who will be part of a specialist unit newly created within the Education Department, to ensure that the facilities made available by the Urban Council are used to the maximum extent.
These two aspirations are complementary, and I firmly believe that the relationship which exists and will continue to exist between the Council for Recreation and Sport and the Urban Council will be extremely cordial and by mutual co-operation and consultation, of real benefit to the young people of Hong Kong who deserve the best possible service from us all.
(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG arrived at this point.)
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Lo for his very detailed answer, but because of the limited terms of reference of the Urban Council, our Committee's contribution in the past was not too successful. I wonder if Mr. Lo can assure this Council that in the future if anything is harmful to this Council, Members of this Council will be informed in due course so that there could be discussion. In other words, if there is anything influencing this Council, Members of this Council would be informed in due course?
MR. Lo (in English): I'll certainly be glad to give that assurance.
MR. JOHN MACKENZIE (in English): Mr. Chairman, may I ask if Urban Councillors sit on this body as representatives of the Council's Select Committee or as individual appointees?
MR. Lo (in English): Mr. Chairman, they sit as individual appointees. But because they are Urban Councillors, naturally they provide a bridge or link between the two bodies.
MR. MACKENZIE (in English): Mr. Chairman, In view of what Mr. Lo has said about the complementary nature of the work involved here, will it not be possible for minutes to be exchanged to indicate progress and to permit this Council to be fully informed of the complementary activities which are going on?
MR. LO (in English): We'll certainly look into that. I think that may be useful.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(4) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question (in Cantonese):
May Members of the Council be informed of whether or not this Council has been consulted regarding the recent increase of parking fees in public car parks?
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENT AND ADVERTISING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, the Urban Council manages public car parks on behalf of Government and does not derive the revenue from car-parking fees.
The increased fees were proposed by the Financial Secretary in his budget speech, and this Council was not consulted on the proposals.
The unsatisfactory state of affairs by which fee increases and other matters concerning Car Parks are handled and over which Council has no control, has led to my recent proposals that Council should transfer the management of Car Parks back to Government.
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask Mr. NG that, as there are tremendous increases in car park charges, I wonder how does the amount of monthly tickets sold compare with the past?
MR. NG (in English): Naturally the sales of the monthly tickets decreased to quite some extent, and I have some figures here. For the Hong Kong side, for the month of September, the monthly tickets sold were 2,568 whilst for the month of October, the tickets sold were 995, a decrease of 61%. As for Kowloon, the tickets sold in September was 1,220, whilst for the month of October, it is only 393, a decrease of 68%. The total for Hong Kong and Kowloon together, the monthly tickets sold for September were 3,788, whilst for the month of October it is only 1,388, a decrease of 63.4%.
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I sympathize with Mr. NG's situation as he is only responsible for the management of public car parks and he has no say as to car park charges, so what he has proposed is a negative method which is to hand back the management of car park to the Government. Could we not make a more constructive approach which is to ask the Government to hand over entirely the Council?
Page 92 of 187
152
151
Page 92 of 187
151
150
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The aims of the Recreation and Sports Council will be largely achieved at appointing District Recreational Officers, who will be part of a specialist unit newly created within the Education Department, to ensure that the facilities made available by the Urban Council are used to the maximum
extent.
These two aspirations are complementary, and I firmly believe that the relationship which exists and will continue to exist between the Council for Recreation and Sport and the Urban Council will be extremely cordial and by mutual co-operation and consultation, of real benefit to the young people of Hong Kong who deserve the best possible service from us all.
(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG arrived at this point.)
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Lo for his very detailed answer, but because of the limited terms of reference of the Urban Council, our Committee's contribution in the past was not too successful. I wonder if Mr. Lo can assure this Council that in the future if anything is harmful to this Council, Members of this Council will be informed in due course so that there could be discus- sion. In other words, if there is anything influencing this Council, Members of this Council would be informed in due course?
MR. Lo (in English): -I'll certainly be glad to give that assurance.
MR. JOHN MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, may I ask if Urban Councillors sit on this body as representatives of the Council's Select Committee or as individual appointees?
MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, they sit as individual ap- pointees. But because they are Urban Councillors, naturally they provide a bridge or link between the two bodies.
MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, In view of what Mr. Lo has said about the complementary nature of the work involved here, will it not be possible for minutes to be exchanged to indicate progress and to permit this Council to be fully informed of the com- plementary activities which are going on?
MR. LO (in English): -We'll certainly look into that. I think that may be useful.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(4) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question (in
Cantonese):
May Members of the Council be informed of whether or not this Council has been consulted regarding the recent increase of parking fees in public car parks?
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENT AND ADVERTISING Select Committee, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, the Urban Council manages public car parks on behalf of Government and does not derive the revenue from car-parking fees.
The increased fees were proposed by the Financial Secretary in his budget speech, and this Council was not consulted on the proposals.
The unsatisfactory state of affairs by which fee increases and other matters concerning Car Parks are handled and over which Council has no control, has led to my recent proposals that Council should transfer the management of Car Parks back to Government.
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask Mr. NG that, as there are tremendous increases in car park charges, I wonder how does the amount of monthly tickets sold compare with the past?
MR. NG (in English): ---Naturally the sales of the monthly tickets decreased to quite some extent, and I have some figures here. For the Hong Kong side, for the month of September, the monthly tickets sold were 2,568 whilst for the month of October, the tickets sold were 995, a decrease of 61%. As for Kowloon, the tickets sold in September was 1,220, whilst for the month of October, it is only 393, a decrease of 68%. The total for Hong Kong and Kowloon together, the monthly tickets sold for September were 3,788, whilst for the month of October it is only 1,388, a decrease of 63.4%.
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I sympathize with Mr. NG's situation as he is only responsible for the management of public car parks and he has no say as to car park charges, so what he has proposed is a negative method which is to hand back the manage- ment of car park to the Government. Could we not make a more constructive approach which is to ask the Government to hand over entirely the Council?
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.