1983 — Page 140

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 140 of 194

246

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

under them. Any decisions made are directly influenced by the two-third majority of official members (who are also members of the district management committees) and appointed members. On the other hand, in regard to the delegation of power, the District Officer is the Chairman of both the district management committee as well as of the district board, and the District Office is the secretariat of the district board. Though on the surface, the District Office is assisting the district board in its administration, it is in fact the controlling power in district administration. Under the circumstances, district boards have become a bizarre 'democratic' thing hanging in the middle of a government organ with no foundation and no force, but merely a consultative body. In order to effectively fulfil their role in decision-making and as a watch-dog in district affairs, I deem that the district boards should undergo the following reforms:

(i) The central government should delegate decision-making in district development and management to the district boards, putting the district management committees under them to carry out their decisions.

(ii) Representatives of various government departments should only attend district board meetings as observers to give advice and information on the progress of their departments.

(iii) The ratio of elected members in district boards should gradually go up so that eventually all district board members are elected. The Chairman should be an elected member to be elected from among the board members.

(iv) District boards should have their own secretariats to handle the daily secretarial and administrative work.

(b) Reform of the central government system

The Legislative Council is at present the main policy-making machinery in Hong Kong. However, all its members, except a number of official members, are appointed. There is no elected member at all. And of the appointed members, apart from a few professionals, all are either directors or chief executives of large enterprises, corporations or financial organizations. Their connection and co-operation in business, together with their background and interests, make them an allied group inside and outside the Legislative Council. Whenever general social policies are to be decided, it is very likely that they would share common positions and points of view. In the absence of an election and watch-dog system, they are not answerable to the public. With no representative from the public in the Legislative Council and no proper administrative channel, there is hardly any way for the public to express their will and the difficulties they are facing in their livelihood in a prompt, reasonable and direct manner over the conference table, nor to discuss and participate in any decisions. The public are forced to express their will and to fight for reforms by staging social action. For this reason, some basic changes to the Legislative Council should be implemented to keep abreast with the awakening society whose people are crying for reasonable rights and benefits.

In order that the will of the people is better reflected and to act as a more effective watch-dog over government decisions, the Legislative Council should reform its structure as follows:

(i) The Legislative Council should reserve a number of seats for the Chairman of district boards (elected members) and for others elected on universal franchise so that it will be better able to look after the interests of the whole community.

(ii) As a long-term plan, the Legislative Council should gradually have more elected members to eventually form the majority.

At present, urban services are divided by areas, i.e., the urban areas and the New Territories. Policies affecting the urban areas are made by the Urban Council while those affecting the New Territories, by the New Territories Services Department, headed by the Director of Urban Services and the Director of New Territories Services. Such division gives rise to the following phenomenon:

(i) There may be different policies and ways of implementation in urban areas and the New Territories in respect of the same services.

(ii) In order not to cause major discrepancies, the policies of the Urban Council and the New Territories Services Department do affect each other. However, in the Urban Council, the Director of Urban Services is only a member of staff for consultation while in the New Territories, he is the head and policy-maker. This is actually another way for the Department to influence the Council in its policy-making.

(iii) As there is no elected member from the New Territories in both the Urban Council and the New Territories Administration, N.T. residents have no way of directly participating in the formulation of urban services policies.

On the other hand, the Urban Council is consisted of an equal number of elected and appointed members. On important issues and points of principles, as election of the Chairman and during open discussions, the appointed members are the ones who are in control. Such hindrance prevents the public from playing their part in the democratic procedures and policy-making of the only democratic organ. Therefore, the Urban Council should effect the following reforms at once:

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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Page 140 of 194 246 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL under them. Any decisions made are directly influenced by the two-third majority of official members (who are also members of the district management committees) and appointed members. On the other hand, in regard to the delegation of power, the District Officer is the Chairman of both the district management committee as well as of the district board, and the District Office is the secretariat of the district board. Though on the surface, the District Office is assisting the district board in its administration, it is in fact the controlling power in district administration. Under the circumstances, district boards have become a bizarre 'democratic' thing hanging in the middle of a government organ with no foundation and no force, but merely a consultative body. In order to effectively fulfil their role in decision-making and as a watch-dog in district affairs, I deem that the district boards should undergo the following reforms: (i) The central government should delegate decision-making in district development and management to the district boards, putting the district management committees under them to carry out their decisions. (ii) Representatives of various government departments should only attend district board meetings as observers to give advice and information on the progress of their departments. (iii) The ratio of elected members in district boards should gradually go up so that eventually all district board members are elected. The Chairman should be an elected member to be elected from among the board members. (iv) District boards should have their own secretariats to handle the daily secretarial and administrative work. (b) Reform of the central government system The Legislative Council is at present the main policy-making machinery in Hong Kong. However, all its members, except a number of official members, are appointed. There is no elected member at all. And of the appointed members, apart from a few professionals, all are either directors or chief executives of large enterprises, corporations or financial organizations. Their connection and co-operation in business, together with their background and interests, make them an allied group inside and outside the Legislative Council. Whenever general social policies are to be decided, it is very likely that they would share common positions and points of view. In the absence of an election and watch-dog system, they are not answerable to the public. With no representative from the public in the Legislative Council and no proper administrative channel, there is hardly any way for the public to express their will and the difficulties they are facing in their livelihood in a prompt, reasonable and direct manner over the conference table, nor to discuss and participate in any decisions. The public are forced to express their will and to fight for reforms by staging social action. For this reason, some basic changes to the Legislative Council should be implemented to keep abreast with the awakening society whose people are crying for reasonable rights and benefits. In order that the will of the people is better reflected and to act as a more effective watch-dog over government decisions, the Legislative Council should reform its structure as follows: (i) The Legislative Council should reserve a number of seats for the Chairman of district boards (elected members) and for others elected on universal franchise so that it will be better able to look after the interests of the whole community. (ii) As a long-term plan, the Legislative Council should gradually have more elected members to eventually form the majority. (c) Reform of the Urban Council At present, urban services are divided by areas, i.e., the urban areas and the New Territories. Policies affecting the urban areas are made by the Urban Council while those affecting the New Territories, by the New Territories Services Department, headed by the Director of Urban Services and the Director of New Territories Services. Such division gives rise to the following phenomenon: (i) There may be different policies and ways of implementation in urban areas and the New Territories in respect of the same services. (ii) In order not to cause major discrepancies, the policies of the Urban Council and the New Territories Services Department do affect each other. However, in the Urban Council, the Director of Urban Services is only a member of staff for consultation while in the New Territories, he is the head and policy-maker. This is actually another way for the Department to influence the Council in its policy-making. (iii) As there is no elected member from the New Territories in both the Urban Council and the New Territories Administration, N.T. residents have no way of directly participating in the formulation of urban services policies. On the other hand, the Urban Council is consisted of an equal number of elected and appointed members. On important issues and points of principles, as election of the Chairman and during open discussions, the appointed members are the ones who are in control. Such hindrance prevents the public from playing their part in the democratic procedures and policy-making of the only democratic organ. Therefore, the Urban Council should effect the following reforms at once: HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 247 Page 140 of 194 Page 141 of 194

Baseline (Original)

Page 140 of 194 246 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL under them. Any decisions made are directly influenced by the two-third are not answerable to anyone, nor are there any departments working majority of official members (who are also members of the district management committees) and appointed members. On the other hand. in regard to the delegation of power, the District Officer is the Chairman of both the district management committee as well as of the district board, and the District Office is the secretariat of the district board. Though on the surface, the District Office is assisting the district board in its administration, it is in fact the controlling power in district administration. Under the circumstances, district boards have become a bizarre 'democratic' thing hanging in the middle of a government organ with no foundation and no force, but merely a consultative body. In order to effectively fulfil their role in decision-making and as a watch-dog in district affairs, I deem that the district boards should undergo the following reforms: (i) The central government should delegate decision-making in district development and management to the district boards, putting the district management committees under them to carry out their decisions. (ii) Representatives of various government departments should onl attend district board meetings as observers to give advice and information on the progress of their departments. (iii) The ratio of elected members in district boards should gradually go up so that eventually all district board members are elected. The Chairman should be an elected members to be elected from among the board members. (iv) District boards should have their own secretariats to handle the daily secretarial and administrative work. (b) Reform of the central government system The Legislative Council is at present the main policy making machinery in Hong Kong. However, all its members, except a number of official members, are appointed. There is no elected member at all. And of the appointed members, apart from a few professionals, all are either directors or chief executives of large enterprises, corporations or financial organizations. Their connection and co-operation in business. together with their background and interests, make them an allied group inside and outside the Legislative Council. Whenever general social policies are to be decided, it is very likely that they would share common positions and points of view. In the absence of an election and watch-dog system, they are not answerable to the public. With no representative from the public and in the Legislative Council and no proper admin strative channel, there is hardly any way for the public to express their will and the difficulties they are facing in their livelihood in a prompt reasonable and direct manner over the conference table, nor to discus HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL Page 140 of 194 247 and participate in any decisions. The public are forced to express their will and to fight for reforms by staging social action. For this reason, some basic changes to the Legislative Council should be implemented to keep abreast with the awakening society whose people are crying for reasonable rights and benefits. In order that the will of the people are better reflected and to act as a more effective watch-dog over government decisions, the Legislative Council should reform its structure as follows: (i) The Legislative Council should reserve a number of seats for the Chairman of district boards (elected members) and for others elected on universal franchise so that it will be better able to look after the interests of the whole community. (ii) As a long-term plan, the Legislative Council should gradually have more elected members to eventually form the majority. (c) Reform of the Urban Council At present, urban services are divided by areas, i.e., the urban areas and the New Territories. Policies affecting the urban areas are made by the Urban Council while those affecting the New Territories, by the New Territories Services Department, headed by the Director of Urban Services and the Director of New Territories Services. Such division gives rise to the following phenomenon: (i) There may be different policies and ways of implementation in urban areas and the New Territories in respect of the same services. (ii) In order not to cause major discrepancies, the policies of the Urban Council and the New Territories Services Department do affect each other. However, in the Urban Council, the Director of Urban Services is only a member of staff for consultation while in the New Territories, he is the head and policy-maker. This is actually another way for the Department to influence the Council in its policy- making. (iii) As there is no elected member from the New Territories in both the Urban Council and the New Territories Administration, N.T. residents have no way of directly participating in the formulation of urban services policies. On the other hand, the Urban Council is consisted of an equal number of elected and appointed members. On important issues and points of principles, as election of the Chairman and during open discussions, the appointed members are the ones who are in control. Such hinderance prevents the public from playing their part in the democratic procedures and policy-making of the only democratic organ. Therefore, the Urban Council should effect the following reforms at once: Page 140Page 141 Page 141 of 194

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Page 140 of 194

246

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

under them. Any decisions made are directly influenced by the two-third are not answerable to anyone, nor are there any departments working majority of official members (who are also members of the district management committees) and appointed members. On the other hand. in regard to the delegation of power, the District Officer is the Chairman of both the district management committee as well as of the district board, and the District Office is the secretariat of the district board. Though on the surface, the District Office is assisting the district board in its administration, it is in fact the controlling power in district administration. Under the circumstances, district boards have become a bizarre 'democratic' thing hanging in the middle of a government organ with no foundation and no force, but merely a consultative body. In order to effectively fulfil their role in decision-making and as a

watch-dog in district affairs, I deem that the district boards should undergo the following reforms:

(ii) Representatives of various government departments should onl attend district board meetings as observers to give advice and information on the progress of their departments.

(iii) The ratio of elected members in district boards should gradually go up so that eventually all district board members are elected. The Chairman should be an elected members to be elected from among the board members.

(iv) District boards should have their own secretariats to handle the

daily secretarial and administrative work.

(b) Reform of the central government system

The Legislative Council is at present the main policy making machinery in Hong Kong. However, all its members, except a number of official members, are appointed. There is no elected member at all. And of the appointed members, apart from a few professionals, all are either directors or chief executives of large enterprises, corporations or financial organizations. Their connection and co-operation in business. together with their background and interests, make them an allied group inside and outside the Legislative Council. Whenever general social policies are to be decided, it is very likely that they would share common positions and points of view. In the absence of an election and watch-dog system, they are not answerable to the public. With no representative from the public and in the Legislative Council and no proper admin strative channel, there is hardly any way for the public to express their will and the difficulties they are facing in their livelihood in a prompt reasonable and direct manner over the conference table, nor to discus

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 140 of 194

247

and participate in any decisions. The public are forced to express their will and to fight for reforms by staging social action. For this reason, some basic changes to the Legislative Council should be implemented to keep abreast with the awakening society whose people are crying for reasonable rights and benefits.

In order that the will of the people are better reflected and to act as a more effective watch-dog over government decisions, the Legislative Council should reform its structure as follows:

(ii) As a long-term plan, the Legislative Council should gradually have

more elected members to eventually form the majority.

(i) There may be different policies and ways of implementation in urban areas and the New Territories in respect of the same services. (ii) In order not to cause major discrepancies, the policies of the Urban Council and the New Territories Services Department do affect each other. However, in the Urban Council, the Director of Urban Services is only a member of staff for consultation while in the New Territories, he is the head and policy-maker. This is actually another way for the Department to influence the Council in its policy- making.

On the other hand, the Urban Council is consisted of an equal number of elected and appointed members. On important issues and points of principles, as election of the Chairman and during open discussions, the appointed members are the ones who are in control. Such hinderance prevents the public from playing their part in the democratic procedures and policy-making of the only democratic organ. Therefore, the Urban Council should effect the following reforms at once:

1983 — Page 140

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