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be imposed on them after admitting guilt and the loss they may suffer if denying the charge, they will naturally change their minds to plead guilty. They have no option but to suppress their resentment. However, public resentment should not be overlooked as it cannot be suppressed for long and will have ill effects on the community.
The points mentioned above are a reflection of public opinion. As a representative of the public, I cannot shirk my responsibility of presenting them here for the information of the authorities concerned.
Finally, I heartily support the motions put forward at this Debate.
(Dr. Denny M. H. HUANG arrived at this point.)
MR. TSIN SAI-NIN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, to-day I have great pleasure to speak in this first Annual Conventional Debate during my second term of office in the Urban Council.
In the Debates during my first term of office in the Council, I had already expressed my view that the re-constitution of the Urban Council in the wake of its financial autonomy had not brought about any progress. As a matter of fact, a democratic system of such a limited scope has also failed to effect any significant improvement on the democratic life of the people of Hong Kong. Members of the community who are in favour of a democratic set-up would feel comparatively disappointed in both the United Kingdom, the "Pioneer of Democracy", and the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Murray MACLEHOSE, known to have a profound understanding of democracy. Certain Members of the British Parliaments as well as officers in the Foreign Ministry, purposely safeguarding the interests of the Colonial officials, will naturally interpret this in another way. However, it is anticipated that these Members will lend less and less support to the increasingly democratic Urban Council, reflecting the nasty thought of a minority group who long for a perpetual upkeep of the disreputable ruling of the Colony. Their bid to disunite the public in the struggle for human rights will prove a fiasco at a time when the younger generation here is urging for a more democratic form of life.
Undoubtedly, the Urban Council has, inter alia, made tremendous progress in promoting cultural and recreational activities over the last two or three years. However, its effort to solve the hawker problem has proved to be a miserable failure. The spending of tax-payers' money in this area, amounting to thirty-odd million dollars per year, has only resulted in disapprobations and a general discontent amongst the public.
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I have repeatedly requested the Hawkers Select Committee to examine the causes of past failures in depth, but the answer is still the adoption of a high-handed policy to solve this problem.
Who has actually benefited from the Hawker Permitted Area Scheme? It is doubtful whether the genuinely unemployed are the beneficiaries. I therefore suggest that the Council should consider organizing some "Hawker Area Committee" which, like the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign Area Committees, should consist of hawker representatives and interested individuals in the areas and should hold meetings to review the hawker problem with a view to finding out the crux of the problem and working out a suitable solution in the light of individual circumstances of each district. This, I believe, will not only save a lot of the tax-payers' money to be spent on hawker control, but will also help to find a way to solve the long-standing annoying problem.
The housing problem is one that is still causing frustration to the lower-middle class in Hong Kong and calls for an immediate solution. Wealthy businessmen and high-ranking government officials living in spacious flats may not realize the predicament and plight of small families of several members crammed into a cubicle with a space of some 10 to 20 sq. ft. for each member of the family, of people who sleep on the streets, and of large families comprising three generations who live together in a space without shelter. Under the existing housing policy, I am afraid that the problem will remain unsolved by the middle of the 1980s, no matter how keenly the Governor Sir Murray MACLEHOSE wishes to solve it. This is an actual fact and no beautiful lies can cover it up. In my opinion, the housing policy should be geared primarily to the need of the poor who cannot afford a decent roof and secondarily to the lower-middle income groups. As for people in the upper-middle class who are financially better off, it is the responsibility of their employers to cater for their housing need in co-operation with the government.
Lastly, I would like to comment on the problems of education in Hong Kong. In my view, the system and quality of education in Hong Kong today are far from being satisfactory. Although the Government has time and again made announcements on the introduction of nine-year universal education, I wonder how many of our younger generation can actually receive such education before the age of fourteen. Even if they have the chance to be educated for nine years, it is extremely doubtful to what extent they will have been trained vocationally and have the idea of serving the community instilled into their minds. I wish that those responsible for formulating education policy would take
Page 134 of 174
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be imposed on them after admitting guilt and the loss they may suffer if denying the charge, they will naturally change their minds to plead guilty. They have no option but to sup- press their resentment. However, public resentment should not be overlooked as it cannot be suppressed for long and will have ill effects on the community.
The points mentioned above are a reflection of public opinion. As a representative of the public, I cannot shirk my responsibility of pre- senting them here for the information of the authorities concerned.
Finally, I heartily support the motions put forward at this Debate.
(Dr. Denny M. H. HUANG arrived at this point.)
MR. TSIN SAI-NIN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, to-day I have great pleasure to speak in this first Annual Conventional Debate during my second term of office in the Urban Council.
In the Debates during my first term of office in the Council, I had already expressed my view that the re-constitution of the Urban Council in the wake of its financial autonomy had not brought about any pro- gress. As a matter of fact, a democratic system of such a limited scope has also failed to effect any significant improvement on the democratic life of the people of Hong Kong. Members of the community who are in favour of a democratic set-up would feel comparatively disappointed in both the United Kingdom, the "Pioneer of Democracy", and the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Murray MACLEHOSE, known to have a profound understanding on democracy. Certain Members of the British Parliaments as well as officers in the Foreign Ministry, purposely safe- guarding the interests of the Colonial officials, will naturally interpret this in another way. However, it is anticipated that these Members will lend less and less support to the increasingly democratic Urban Council, reflecting the nasty thought of a minority group who long for a perpetual upkeep of the disreputable ruling of the Colony. Their bid to disunite the public in the struggle for human rights will prove a fiasco at a time when the younger generation here is urging for a more democratic form of life.
Undoubtedly, the Urban Council has, inter alia, made tremendous progress in promoting cultural and recreational activities over the last two or three years. However, its effort to solve the hawker problem has proved to be a miserable failure. The spending of tax-papers' money in this area, amounting to thirty-odd million dollars per year, has only resulted in disapprobations and a general discontent amongst the public.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 134 of 174
229
I have repeatedly requested the Hawkers Select Committee to examine the causes of past failures in depth, but the answer is still the adoption of a high-handed policy to solve this problem.
Who has actually benefited from the Hawker Permitted Area Scheme? It is doubtful whether the genuinely unemployed are the I therefore suggest that the Council should consider
beneficiaries.
organizing some "Hawker Area Committee" which, like the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign Area Committees, should consist of hawker representatives and interested individuals in the areas and should hold meetings to review the hawker problem with a view to finding out the crux of the problem and working out a suitable solution in the light of individual circumstances of each district. This, I believe, will not only save a lot of the tax-payers' money to be spent on hawker control, but will also help to find a way to solve the long-standing annoying problem.
The housing problem is one that is still causing frustration to the lower-middle class in Hong Kong and calls for an immediate solution. Wealthy businessmen and high-ranking government officials living in spacious flats may not realize the predicament and plight of small families of several members crammed into a cubicle with a space of some 10 to 20 sq. ft. for each member of the family, of people who sleep on the streets, and of large families comprising three generations who live together in a space without shelter. Under the existing housing policy, I am afraid that the problem will remain unsolved by the middle of the 1980s, no matter how keenly the Governor Sir Murray MACLEHOSE wishes to solve it. This is an actual fact and no beautiful lies can cover it up. In my opinion, the housing policy should be geared primarily to the need of the poor who cannot afford a decent roof and secondarily to the lower-middle income groups. As for people in the upper-middle class who are financially better off, it is the responsibility of their employers to cater for their housing need in co- operation with the government.
Lastly, I would like to comment on the problems of education in Hong Kong. In my view, the system and quality of education in Hong Kong today are far from being satisfactory. Although the Government has time and again made announcements on the introduction of nine- year universal education, I wonder how many of our younger generation can actually receive such education before the age of fourteen. Even if they have the chance to be educated for nine years, it is extremely doubtful to what extent they will have been trained vocationally and have the idea of serving the community instilled into their minds. I wish that those responsible for formulating education policy would take
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