Page 25 of 194
20
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Ladies and Gentlemen. The meeting is called to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meetings held on 12 and 18 April 1983 were confirmed.
(Mr. Edmund W. H. CHOW arrived at this point.)
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Today is the second open Council meeting since the Council membership was enlarged from 24 to 30 members, half of whom were elected on universal franchise and on a constituency basis.
Nearly one-third of the membership are new members and as far as I can observe they are tackling their responsibilities with energy and enthusiasm.
Over the past few weeks I have been asked by the media as to my personal views concerning the future of the reconstituted Council. I have invariably replied that my views are those of the Urban Council as a whole and in accordance with our annual Statement of Aims which are debated every January at the Annual Convention Debate.
In addition we have the five-year forecast of our Capital Works Programme which at today's prices is estimated to cost over $2,500 million. This programme of course is reviewed annually and there is every likelihood that the number of items in the 5-year Programme will continue to increase to meet the demands for more facilities in the ten Urban Districts.
Through the Council's 12 Select Committees and 17 Sub-Committees, every effort is made to press ahead with the Council's Statement of Aims. We can never be too complacent in ensuring that Council policies are fully implemented, and that there is careful monitoring of the efficiency and productivity of the Urban Services Department with its staff of over 17,000.
At the same time, speaking on a somewhat more personal note, I believe that the Urban Council has to play a very significant role in improving the quality of life of our Hong Kong community.
First of all, we are fully committed to making Hong Kong clean, green and beautiful, wherever this can be done. We have to dispose of refuse from the urban areas to the extent of 1.1 million tonnes a year (which was the figure in 1982). There is also an on-going campaign to get public co-operation in keeping our streets clean and litter-free.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
21
Committees have given the Council invaluable support at the grass-roots level. The District Clean Hong Kong Committees have been instrumental in this effort. The Council furthermore is fully committed to strengthen control on hawker matters and here again, we are working very closely with the District Boards in all the ten Urban Districts.
The street management programme of the District Boards with the support of the Urban Council is also building up momentum. I therefore look forward to the time when streets will be less cluttered with hawker stalls, and we will have more pedestrian precincts in all districts and clean up the many private streets which are at present nothing more than junk yards, etc. The message for every Hong Kong citizen is 'Cleanliness is a way of life'.
There is a growing interest amongst District Boards in district urban renewal matters and I hope that Urban Councillors will not overlook this very important aspect of District Board work, which is closely related to the Council's responsibilities.
Improving the quality of life also means promoting the health and physical wellbeing of our citizens. For this reason the Urban Council has an extensive programme of sports and recreation activities throughout the urban areas.
As for improving the quality of life on the intellectual level, Members are already fully aware of the cultural, entertainment and extension programmes which Council sponsors year-round in all the districts.
The Council has three Regional Cultural Services Officers whose responsibility is to keep in touch with the district sports and arts associations and to render any assistance that is required of the Urban Council. It is important that there should be a close link between the Council and these arts and sports associations so that the Council could get continuous feedback from the districts. Should there be a need for more staff within reasonable limits to strengthen the liaison work, I think that this matter should be looked into without delay by the Cultural Services Department and the Urban Council.
With the support of the District Boards, the Urban Council through its programme activities will co-operate in building within our community a sense of discipline, and an even stronger sense of public responsibility and community service.
If we in Hong Kong are committed to our own way of life where there is freedom of speech, of travel and of free enterprise without overlooking the general welfare, I believe that Council Members can play a vital role in community building so that we can all look forward to a fuller and happier life in future years.
(Mr. Augustine CHUNG and Mrs. Nellie FONG arrived during the Chairman's address.)
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Page 26
Page 26 of 194
Page 25 of 194
"
20
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Ladies and Gentlemen. The meeting is called to
order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meetings held on 12 and 18 April 1983 were confirmed.
(Mr. Edmund W. H. CHOW arrived at this point.}
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Today is the second open Council meeting since the Council membership was enlarged from 24 to 30 members, half of whom were elected on universal franchise and on a constituency basis.
Nearly one-third of the membership are new members and as far as I can observe they are tackling their responsibilities with energy and enthusiasm.
Over the past few weeks I have been asked by the media as to my personal views concerning the future of the reconstituted Council. I have invariably replied that my views are those of the Urban Council as a whole and in accordance with our annual Statement of Aims which are debated every January at the Annual Conventional Debate.
In addition we have the five-year forecast of our Capital Works Programme which at today's prices is estimated to cost over $2,500 million. This programme of course is reviewed annually and there is every likelihood that the number of items in the 5-year Programme will continue to increase to meet the demands for more facilities in the ten Urban Districts.
Through the Council's 12 Select Committees and 17 Sub-Committees, every effort is made to press ahead with the Council's Statement of Aims. We can never be too complacent in ensuring that Council policies are fully im plemented, and that there is careful monitoring of the efficiency and productivity of the Urban Services Department with its staff of over 17 000.
At the same time, speaking on a somewhat more personal note. I believe that the Urban Council has to play a very significant role in improving the quality of life of our Hong Kong community.
First of all, we are fully committed to making Hong Kong clean, green and beautiful, wherever this can be done. We have to dispose of refuse from the urban areas to the extent of 1.1 million tonnes a year (which was the figure it 1982). There is also an on-going campaign to get public co-operation in keeping
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 25 of 194
21
Committees have given the Council invaluable support at the grass-roots level. our streets clean and litter-free. In this respect, the District Clean Hong Kong The Council furthermore is fully committed to strengthen control on hawker matters and here again, we are working very closely with the District Boards in
all the ten Urban Districts.
The street management programme of the District Boards with the support of the Urban Council is also building up momentum. I therefore look forward to the time when streets will be less cluttered with hawker stalls, and we will have more pedestrian precincts in all districts and clean up the many private streets which are at present nothing more than junk yards, etc. The message for every Hong Kong citizen is 'Cleanliness is a way of life'.
There is a growing interest amongst District Boards in district urban renewal matters and I hope that Urban Councillors will not overlook this very impor- tant aspect of District Board work, which is closely related to the Council's
responsibilities.
Improving the quality of life also means promoting the health and physical wellbeing of our citizens. For this reason the Urban Council has an extensive programme of sports and recreation activities throughout the urban areas.
As for improving the quality of life on the intellectual level, Members are already fully aware of the cultural, entertainment and extension programmes which Council sponsors year-round in all the districts.
The Council has three Regional Cultural Services Officers whose responsi- bility is to keep in touch with the district sports and arts associations and to render any assistance that is required of the Urban Council. It is important that there should be a close link between the Council and these arts and sports associations so that the Council could get continuous feedback from the districts. Should there be a need for more staff within reasonable limits to strengthen the liaison work, I think that this matter should be looked into without delay by the Cultural Services Department and the Urban Council.
With the support of the District Boards, the Urban Council through its programme activities will co-operate in building within our community a sense of discipline, and an even stronger sense of public responsibility and community service.
If we in Hong Kong are committed to our own way of life where there is freedom of speech, of travel and of free enterprise without overlooking the general welfare, I believe that Council Members can play a vital role in community building so that we can all look forward to a fuller and happier life in future years.
(Mr. Augustine CHUNG and Mrs. Nellie FONG arrived during the Chairman's address. Į
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