1984 — Page 166

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

I mentioned earlier that stability is of vital importance to our success economically, and that it can only be maintained if the forces of vice and crime are kept in check. How serious those evil forces are has now been admitted, in the report of the Fight Crime Committee. That report did not shock me, but what did disgust me was the fact that the Government was so ignorant of the situation that it had to set up such a committee in the first place. The triad situation has always been evident to anyone who keeps his eyes and ears open.

I am now concerned to know what action will be taken on this crime report. Will the Government and its law-enforcement bodies be able to differentiate between villains and victims? Will it go for the big generals as well as the young gangsters who serve as their pawns? Will action be taken on all, even if they have friends in the seats of power? Will laws be enacted to protect the population from commercial criminals who find easy prey because of loopholes in the laws? I should like to begin 1985 with a call to action, and I mean real action, and not just a public relations exercise, action against commercial criminals, vice den owners, extortioners, gangs, bandits, loan sharks, rapists and murderers, most if not all of whom are triad affiliated.

I should like to see special efforts made to assist youngsters who wish to free themselves of triad pressures, by offering a change of environment to those who live in public housing, and to others who are likely to be victimized if they made the effort to break away from triad control. Ruthless action should be taken against those who give information to triads when triad victims make reports to the police. I can see no way in which the public can with safety co-operate in giving information against triad activities, unless an independent body is set up to receive such information, and unless the Complaints Against Police Office is reconstituted as a totally independent body which can demand action. Unless something on the lines I have suggested is started very soon, I fear that the next twelve years will see further deterioration in law and order, and consequently our stability will be threatened.

Concerning Urban Council work, I should like to thank our library staff once more for a very active year. Our senior librarians are always actively seeking better distribution of library services, new activities, and new ways of economizing without depleting the service. We are happy to open our Kowloon Central Library right on time, and are grateful to all who worked hard to make that possible. I commend our library staff, and believe that our aims for the year to follow will again be fulfilled, thanks to their continued efforts.

Concerning hawkers, I am sure that the Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee will be reporting on this subject, but as Chairman of the Working Party to Review Hawkers and Related Policies, I feel I should spend a little time on this subject, because the press constantly asks for information, and I am sure that they feel frustrated that so far I have refused to disclose our plans. The reforms in policy, if adopted, are likely to be wide- ranging, but to reveal them at this point in time would possibly worsen the hawking situation rather than ameliorate it.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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To achieve our aims will require a great deal of co-operation from all concerned---the staff of this Department, the Police and the Housing, Lands and Transport Departments. We shall have to discuss our proposals with District Boards, with individuals, and above all with the hawkers themselves. I should like to think that as a result of our efforts, we may in future be able to concentrate on co-operation rather than control, accommodation rather than confiscation, good business competition rather than triad monopoly and squeeze. To achieve this goal will not be easy. But I repeat that there must be determined action on triads if we are to succeed.

Our work is taking rather longer than we expected, because the task is more wide-ranging and public opinion has been more responsive than anticipated. I call upon all concerned, the Departments, the District Boards, the public, and the hawkers, to take hope, to co-operate, and to try to make hawking more widely accepted as a necessary feature of Hong Kong's prosperity. But again I warn that triads are the greatest threat, the greatest obstacle to success; that is why I suggest an independent body to record complaints, because no hawker in his right mind would report triad threats to the police in the present situation. The Government must show its sincerity, or we shall all suffer the consequences.

I should like to say one last word on the question of stability, and I address it to those who oppose the Sino-British Joint Declaration. People have the right to their opinions, but I trust that those who oppose the Declaration will do nothing to shake our economy. Hong Kong's economy is very sensitive, as the past two years have proved. To try to damage the economy because one disagrees with a plan for the future, will do good neither to those who will live here nor to those who intend to leave. It is in the interests of all that we should preserve prosperity and stability-with social justice. A just Government will make just laws, and prosperity will then be shared by all.

With these words, I support the Motion.

MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion.

As usual, I will deal mainly with recreational matter, and I am pleased to say we have a most interesting new facility. I refer to the Wongneichung Reservoir Park, Stage I of which has just been completed.

For construction purposes, we had to empty the reservoir almost completely and now have to wait for some rain to fill it up before opening to the public. The park will be mainly for boating. No power boats will be permitted, but only craft such as canoes or rowing boats. There will also be a lookout pavilion and kiosk. As there will be no power boats, the area should be one of quiet and tranquility to be enjoyed by people who merely sit and watch as well as by people boating.