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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I think with over 150 written submissions being made to the Government it is expecting too much to say one particular representation should be accepted in full.
However, the overlapping of the duties of the District Boards and the Urban Council in the areas of environmental hygiene, recreation and cultural activities are real and on street trading and even capital works etc. will become apparent. And on reading the White Paper, it is only in paragraph 21 that we find the suggested guideline of how any conflict of duties may be resolved.
Paragraph 21 says: "The role of the District Boards will remain mainly advisory as proposed in the Green Paper and they will have the following terms of reference' and there in paragraph 21 the work and duties were listed out:
'... (b) to advise on the provision and use of public facilities and services within the district;
21(e) to undertake, where funds are made available for the purpose, minor environmental improvements within the district; and 21(f) to undertake, where funds are made available for the purpose, the promotion of recreational and cultural activities within the district.
In undertaking activities with funds made available for the above-mentioned purpose, District Boards will be expected to act within the overall framework of Government policy, and in the urban area, taking account of the role of the Urban Council.”
It seems that the District Board are not expected to work within the overall framework of Urban Council policies and one can imagine the embarrassment of the Urban Councillor sitting at the District Board if the District Board should ask for e.g. a refuse collection point which the council is not in a position to give. Hence I think it should be made clear that Urban Councillors are expected primarily to act in the interest of the residents of the whole Urban area within the present scope of duty and whether the proposals made by any District Board is accepted depends entirely on the merit of the case.
As to the questions of open meetings I think the District Boards and the Urban Council should try and hold meetings in public whenever possible so that members of the public may see how they function.
The cost of putting this new pattern of District Administration into reality is enormous and can only be justified by making it work. i.e. that decision making in the Government is firmly rooted to the wish to the people. Also the meaning of universal suffrage is lost if the voters are not encouraged to participate and register. It has already been suggested in many open forums on discussion on the Green Paper that there should be a holiday on voting day and registration of voters should still be open after the candidate list is known.
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Also that many more promotion activities should be done by the Government through the mass media to explain to the public and promote their knowledge of the functions of the different bodies of administration and the value of their participation. It is far more desirable that voters are sustained by the belief that the Government and the people can and should communicate through this new framework of administration, rather than on the candidates with their limited time and resources to chip away at 'public apathy'.
Mr. Chairman, I also agree with the observations made on the fact that the future Urban Councillor's job involves almost full-time commitment. I think in realistic terms this is going to narrow down the choice of candidates in the future.
The White Paper, I think, is a start to an evolution, which, given the right kind of participation, will shift the centre of decision making towards the grass roots. I welcome such a start and, as I have said before, our only choice now is to make it work.
Food Hygiene
In August 1980 the Food Business by-laws were amended to provide for Licensing of Factory Canteens in which meals could be served to workers in the factories situated in the same building as the canteen. The licensing requirements as they now stand are less stringent than those controlling general restaurants. The licence fees are the same as light refreshment restaurants; food preparation area and toilet facilities are kept to the minimum standard of requirement to safeguard public health. Pamphlets both in English and Chinese are printed laying out the licensing requirements before licence could be granted and conditions to be observed afterwards. I think the Council's intent and genuine efforts to entice or induce business operations in respect of food canteen is clear.
The statistical return on Factory employees, up to 30th of June 1980, shows that there are 925,358 workers in factories and 76,099 factory employees other than workers in Hong Kong, making a total of 1,001,457 factory workers. A great number of these are working in the Urban Area.
Up to October 1980 the records show that 62 new and 57 existing caterers were applying for Food Canteen Licences, making a total of 119 applications. Granted that there are food kitchens and fast food shops and even general restaurants to provide these workers with meals at lunch and dinner time, the need for factory canteens is acute and self-evident.
Hence where there are suitable premises on the ground and 1st floor of industrial building for the operation of a factory canteen, application should be entertained and allowed. It may well be that there are apprehensions on the part of Government Land Agent that such operations would develop into a general restaurant because of its favourable location. Perhaps such
Page 102
Page 102 of 120
Page 102 or 12
170
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I think with over 150 written submissions being made to the Government it is expecting too much to say one particular representation should be
accepted in full.
However, the overlapping of the duties of the District Boards and the Urban Council in the areas of environmental hygiene, recreation and cultural become apparent. And on reading the White Paper, it is only in para- activities are real and on street trading and even capital works etc. will graph 21 that we find the suggested guideline of how any conflict of duties
may be resolved.
Paragraph 21 says:
as proposed
"The role of the District Boards will remain mainly advisory in the Green Paper and they will have the following terms of reference' and there in paragraph 21 the work and duties were listed out:
'... (b) to advise on the provision and use of public facilities and
services within the district;
21(e) to undertake, where funds are made available for the purpose,
minor environmental improvements within the district; and 21(f) to undertake, where funds are made available for the purpose, the promotion of recreational and cultural activities within the district.
In undertaking activities with funds made available for the above-mentioned purpose, District Boards will be expected to act within the overall frame- work of Government policy, and in the urban area, taking account of the role of the Urban Council.”
It seems that the District Board are not expected to work within the overall frame-work of Urban Council policies and one can imagine the embarrass- ment of the Urban Councillor sitting at the District Board if the District Board should ask for e.g. a refuse collection point which the council is not in a position to give. Hence I think it should be made clear that Urban Councillors are expected primarily to act in the interest of the residents of the whole Urban area within the present scope of duty and whether the proposals made by any District Board is accepted depends entirely on the merit of the case.
As to the questions of open meetings I think the District Boards and the Urban Council should try and hold meetings in public whenever possible so that members of the public may see how they function.
The cost of putting this new pattern of District Administration into reality is enormous and can only be justified by making it work. i.e. that decision making in the Government is firmly rooted to the wish to the people. Also the meaning of universal suffrage is lost if the voters are not encouraged to participate and register. It has already been suggested in many open forums on discussion on the Green Paper that there should be a holiday on voting day and registration of voters should still be open after the candidate list
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
171
own. Also that many more promotion activities should be done by the Government through the mass media to explain to the public and promote their knowledge of the functions of the different bodies of administration and the value of their participation. It is far more desirable that voters are subtained by the belief that the Government and the people can and should communicate through this new frame-work of administration, rather than on the candidates with their limited time and resources to chip away relying the ice from 'public apathy'.
Mr. Chairman, I also agree with the observations made on the fact that the future Urban Councillor's job involves almost full time commitment. think in realistic terms this is going to narrow down the choice of candidates in the future.
The White Paper, I think, is a start to an evolution, which, given the right kind of participation, will shift the centre of decision making towards the grass roots. I welcome such a start and, as I have said before, our only choice now is to make it work.
Food Hygiene
In August 1980 the Food Business by-laws were amended to provide for Licensing of Factory Canteens in which meals could be served to workers in the factories situated in the same building as the canteen. The licensing requirements as they now stand are less stringent than those controlling general restaurants. The licence fees are the same as light refreshment restau- ants; food preparation area and toilet facilities are kept to the minimum standard of requirement to safeguard public health. Pamphlets both in English and Chinese are printed laying out the licensing requirements before licence could be granted and conditions to be observed afterwards. I think the Council's intent and genuine efforts to entice or induce business opera- ions in respect of food canteen is clear.
The statistical return on Factory employees, up to 30th of June 1980, shows that there are 925 358 workers in factories and 76 099 factory employees other than workers in Hong Kong, making a total of 1001 457 factory workers. A great number of this are working in the Urban Area.
Up to October 1980 the records show that 62 new and 57 existing caterers were applying for Food Canteen Licences, making a total of 119 applications. Granted that there are food kitchens and fast food shops and even general restaurants to provide these works with meals at lunch and dinner time, the need for factory canteens is acute and self evident.
Hence where there are suitable premises on the ground and 1st floor of industrial building for the operation of a factory canteen, application should be entertained and allowed. It may well be that there are apprehensions on the part of Government Land Agent that such operations would develop into a general restaurant because of its favourable location. Perhaps such
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