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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
the growing importance of districts and new towns as centres of living both in the urban area and in the New Territories.
A year ago, I mentioned in the last debate in this Council that attention must be paid to technical services in support of the performing arts, hoping that some progress would be made as a result of my call. Sadly, little has happened since I last spoke, which has prompted me to say once again that some positive action must be taken both in the way of providing the necessary facilities and of offering the expertise to those who need the assistance. Without these, the audience would always find something lacking in the way of a stage techniques and effects which are essential to lift a production onto a memorable plane; the performers would experience the frustration that they are not given the best production support, and the producers and directors would never be stimulated and challenged by one another's achievements if they always have to compromise their work to fit into the restrictions of our existing facilities and faculties.
I would now like to turn, for a moment or two, to an art-form which has been neglected in Hong Kong despite all the activities that go on in that particular field. I am referring to none other than film-making. Among our annual festivals is the highly successful International Film Festival. Yet every year when it comes to selecting a local film to represent Hong Kong in the Festival we always run into difficulty. Film-making here as a commercial industry is no doubt widely recognized not only in Hong Kong but internationally, as large numbers of highly commercialized films are churned out every year. But there are few that would do us proud artistically. Urban Council seems to be the most logical body to take up the task of championing our young film-makers who have got the technique and the aspiration to make good films, but who cannot find the financing from profit-motivated producers.
In fact in this respect the Council can come in in more ways than one. It can finance worthwhile productions, offering chances of experimentation which are never possible in the industry. It can promote films made under the auspices of the Urban Council both locally and overseas, and ensuring international exchange and exposure through our own International Film Festival and other foreign festivals of similar nature. With the Council's help, perhaps the world might come to realize that we too have sensitive and brilliant film-makers who are capable of thinking a little deeper than what our Kung Fu features reflect.
Turning now to a more practical subject - that of restaurant licensing.
It is a well-known fact that many restaurants open for business without obtaining the necessary license, risking prosecution. I am informed by the Urban Services Department that all of them are summonsed on the first day of opening, and when convicted are usually fined insignificant sums of money. One might explain away this deliberate flouting of the law by identifying only one of the reasons, that the fines are too low and therefore are no deterrent.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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However, in fairness perhaps we need to examine whether the fault lies entirely on the operators.
Referring to the list of outstanding applications for license as at 30 September 1981, and focussing on the General Restaurant category, it is discovered that out of 154 of these applications over half have been outstanding for more than 3 months, and a third for more than 6 months. As for Light Refreshment Restaurants, out of 52 applications 60% are over 3 months and 40% over 6 months.
The main causes of delay occur at the applicants' failure to comply with either health or fire safety requirements. I have been assured by the U.S.D. that health requirements inspections on new premises are carried out according to a check list, so that applicant is informed, on the spot, if all the outstanding points at one go, and provided he acts fast on it, the U.S.D. is back on request for second inspections. Unfortunately the situation seems less encouraging with the Fire Services Department. Owing to acute manpower shortage, applicants have to join a long queue for first appointments let alone second rounds. In addition, it does not seem to be the encouraged practice within the Fire Services to advise applicants of all non-compliance items at one go. As a result the inspection process is unnecessarily lengthened by this 'one condition at a time' approach, to the utter inconvenience on both sides.
Furthermore there seems to be a reluctance on the part of all 3 departments involved in this licensing circuit, i.e. the U.S.D. the Fire Services Department, and the Building Ordinance Office to advise applicants by telephone that a license is being issued. Thus time is lost once again as the inter-departmental exchange of memos and letters take place.
Here one can see that against the background of world-renowned efficiency in the private sector of Hong Kong, Government authorities fare very poorly. In the face of to-day's high rent and interest rate, Government lose a lot of good will by stubbornly adhering to a pace unacceptable and unrealistic to the commercial sector. The injustice of it is that the Urban Council is being blamed for something which is more often than not beyond its control.
Before I finish, Mr. Chairman, may I have your tolerance in raising just one more question?
In the Urban Council Policy Manual, under the Section on hawkers, the first major aim is to seek a gradual reduction in the number of hawkers as circumstances permit, and from there onwards the whole philosophy of the policy is based on the assumption that such a reduction can be effected. The fact, as we all know, and as Mr. C. S. SHUM has earlier informed us, is that the number of hawkers, licensed or unlicensed, has been on the increase. Besides, the Director of Urban Services has told us that we cannot build markets fast enough to house them. In view of such circumstances, would the Council not do wisely to accept that the existence of hawkers may be permanent fact of life
Page 112 of 14
Page 112 of 146
180
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
the growing importance of districts and new towns as centres of living both in the urban area and in the New Territories.
A year ago, I mentioned in the last debate in this Council that attention must be paid to technical services in support of the performing arts, hoping that some progress would be made as a result of my call. Sadly, little has happened since I last spoke, which has prompted me to say once again that some positive action must be taken both in the way of providing the necessary facilities and of offering the expertise to those who need the assistance. Without these, the audience would always find something lacking in the way of a stage techniques and effects which are essential to lift a production onto a memorable plane; the performers would experience the frustration that they are not given the best production support, and the producers and directors would never be stimulated and challenged by one another's achievements if they always have to compromise their work to fit into the restrictions of our existing facilities and faculties.
I would now like to turn, for a moment or two, to an art-form which has been neglected in Hong Kong despite all the activities that go on in that particular field. I am referring to none other than film-making. Among our annual festivals is the highly successful International Film Festival. Yet every year when it comes to selecting a local film to represent Hong Kong in the Festival we always run into difficulty. Film-making here as a commercial industry is no doubt widely recognized not only in Hong Kong but internationally, as large numbers of highly commercialized films are churned out every year. But there are few that would do us proud artistically. Urban Council seems to be the most logical body to take up the task of championing our young film-makers who have got the technique and the aspiration to make good films, but who cannot find the financing from profit-motivated producers.
In fact in this respect the Council can come in in more ways than one. It can finance worthwhile productions, offering chances of experimentation which are never possible in the industry. It can promote films made under the auspices of the Urban Council both locally and overseas, and ensuring international exchange and exposure through our own International Film Festival and other foreign festivals of similar nature. With the Council's help, perhaps the world might come to realize that we too have sensitive and brilliant film-makers who are capable of thinking a little deeper than what our Kung Fu features reflect.
Turning now to a more practical subject - that of restaurant licensing.
It is a well-known fact that many restaurants open for business without obtaining the necessary license, risking prosecution. I am informed by the Urban Services Department that all of them are summons on the first day of opening, and when convicted are usually fined insignificant sums of money. One might explain away this deliberate flouting of the law by identifying only one of the reasons, that the fines are too low and therefore are no deterrent.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 112 of 146
181
However, in fairness perhaps we need to examine whether the fault lies entirely on the operators.
Referring to the list of outstanding applications for license as at 30 September 1981, and focussing on the General Restaurant category, it is discovered that out of 154 of these applications over half have been outstanding for more than 3 months, and a third for more than 6 months. As for Light Refreshment Restaurants, out of 52 applications 60% are over 3 months and 40% over 6 months.
The main causes of delay occur at the applicants' failure to comply with either health or fire safety requirements. I have been assured by the U.S.D. that health requirements inspections on new premises are carried out according to a check list, so that applicant is informed, on the spot, if all the outstanding points at one go, and provided he acts fast on it, the U.S.D. is back on request for second inspections. Unfortunately the situation seems less encouraging with the Fire Services Department. Owing to acute manpower shortage, applicants have to join a long queue for first appointments let alone second rounds. In addition, it does not seem to be the encouraged practice within the Fire Services to advise applicants of all non-compliance items at one go. As a result the inspection process is unnecessarily lengthened by this 'one condition at a time' approach, to the utter inconvenience on both sides.
Furthermore there seems to be a reluctance on the part of all 3 departments involved in this licensing circuit, i.e. the U.S.D. the Fire Services Department, and the Building Ordinance Office to advise applicants by telephone that a license is being issued. Thus time is lost once again as the inter-departmental exchange of memos and letters take place.
Here one can see that against the background of world-renowned efficiency in the private sector of Hong Kong, Government authorities fare very poorly. In the face of to-day's high rent and interest rate, Government lose a lot of good will by stubbornly adhering to a pace unacceptable and unrealistic to the commercial sector. The injustice of it is that the Urban Council is being blamed for something which is more often than not beyond its control.
Before I finish, Mr. Chairman, may I have your tolerance in raising just one more question?
In the Urban Council Policy Manual, under the Section on hawkers, the first major aim is to seek a gradual reduction in the number of hawkers as circumstances permit, and from there onwards the whole philosophy of the policy is based on the assumption that such a reduction can be effected. The fact, as we all know, and as Mr. C. S. SHUM has earlier informed us, is that the number of hawkers, licensed or unlicensed, has been on the increase. Besides, the Director of Urban Services has told us that we cannot build markets fast enough to house them. In view of such circumstances, would the Council not do wisely to accept that the existence of hawkers may be permanent fact of life
Page 112 of 14
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