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Urban Council and district boards. I would like to thank the staff in-charge in the sub-offices of the CNTA, they have been most helpful in explaining to us the work of the district boards and they are also very helpful in answering the district board members' enquiries concerning the work of the Urban Council, so I am really very grateful to them.
But I still think that we need to step up work here. Last time, some Councillors reminded me of what I should do in the District Relations Select Committee but I am sorry that the district board members have been reminding me of what I should do in the District Relations Select Committee, and they do not understand that we are limited financially and that there are some work which we simply cannot afford to promote. Right now, we do not have funds allocated for the purpose of liaison and some of our proposals could not be carried into effect. But, of course, just holding cocktail parties is not enough, I think we should have more occasions where we can explain to the district board members what the Urban Council is doing, so every year I hope that we can have more activities and occasions. I would like to thank Mr. Chairman for organizing a cocktail party for the Urban Council and the urban district boards. These cocktail parties are very good but I hope that this is only the first step. I know that in future we will have more liaison work in each district and that we can really promote good relationship between the Urban Council and the district boards, because during these occasions, we can explain to the district board members the work and jurisdiction of the Urban Council. These are very valuable occasions where we can promote understanding and goodwill and I hope that all the Councillors will work towards the same goal. I also hope that the Chairman of the District Relations Select Committee will really pay attention to the goal of promoting good relationship between the Urban Council and the district boards.
I shall now turn to the hawker problems which have been with us for many years. Recently some hawkers have spilled boiling oil on and injured the passers-by when they dispersed to avoid arrest. Consequently these hawkers are condemned even more strongly by the public. A first-hand investigation reveals that there are over 30,000 licensed and 20,000 unlicensed hawkers in Hong Kong. We are not too sure about the figure of unlicensed hawkers, but we do know that we have a lot of them in Hong Kong. From the experience of economic development in Third World countries, people turn to hawking as a result of drastic urbanization when those living in villages all rush to the cities. Population explosion in the cities usher in the era of industrial revolution, causing serious unemployment. People therefore tend to resort to self-employment, and what better way to start a small business than to be a hawker. Because it is very easy for them to operate, they can operate with a bag or basket and it is very easy for them to start business. Hawking not only provides employment, but also disposes of those left-over products for the manufacturers and in a way helps speed up the turn-over of goods. The unlicensed hawkers need not pay any rent or taxes and provide a convenient and inexpensive service to the consumers. The hawkers only desire to earn a living. Each may
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earn about $100 a day and they enjoy better freedom than those in other trades. They have no bosses and they may work hard or leisurely, earning more or less, as they please. They can all make a living. We must not overlook the contributions of the hawkers to the consumers, the manufacturers and the society. If they are well managed, they will not cause trouble. Most of them do keep good discipline and there is little need for the General Duty Team which requires much expenditure. We should consider the ways adopted by the Government of Singapore and issue more licences and stipulate the places and time that the hawkers may operate. In this way, we can collect licence fees as well as business tax and there will be fair competition between the hawkers and the shop keepers. As more multi-storeyed Urban Council complexes are being put up, the majority of the hawkers will be accommodated in these buildings. But some locations and sites are not attractive to the hawkers, perhaps the hawkers will only fight for places in the busier UC Complexes, but I think that we can still solve these problems intelligently. I admit that we may not be providing enough facilities in the UC Complexes for the hawkers and this may be one of the reasons why they do not want to be accommodated in the UC Complexes. For example, with some efforts, the Sha Tin New Town is now turned into a very popular venue. At present the hawkers do not find favour with the new market buildings and many who have been allotted a stall there are reluctant to move in. I suspect that the facilities are inadequate and not attractive enough. If they are well designed, I am sure members of the public would not mind walking a few more steps to do their shopping at the new markets. As the hawkers are self-disciplined, they will be happy to pay a small sum of licence fees to be able to operate their business without the fear of being arrested. Since the Urban Council has Crown land at its disposal, such land may be made use of in an appropriate way to the advantage of all.
These are my opinions and I shall welcome any enlightenment from my senior colleagues.
With these works, Sir, I support all the proposals before Council.
(Dr. Denny M. H. HUANG left at this point---3.39 p.m.)
MR. EDMUND W. H. CHOW (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, of late, the people of Hong Kong are becoming more and more interested in reforms to the system of government. They are especially concerned with the introduction of a 'ministerial system' hinted by the Chief Secretary at the Legislative Council the other day. I wish to take the opportunity to discuss here the feasibility of the system. I hope that government will in due course give a clear explanation of the system proposed, so as to afford the people ample time to study and give their views on the subject for consideration by government in its 1987 review on the system of government as proposed in the White Paper.
So far as I understand, a 'ministerial system' is one whereby ministers of the various portfolios are selected from members of 'parliament'. In Hong Kong, the Legislative and Executive Councils may perhaps be taken as equivalent to
302
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Urban Council and district boards. I would like to thank the staff in-charge in the sub-offices of the CNTA, they have been most helpful in explaining to us the work of the district boards and they are also very helpful in answering the district board members' enquiries concerning the work of the Urban Council, so I am really very grateful to them.
But I still think that we need to step up work here. Last time, some Councillors reminded me of what I should do in the District Relations Select Committee but I am sorry that the distruct board members have been reminding me of what I should do in the District Relations Select Committee, and they do not understand that we are limited financially and that there are some work which we simply cannot afford to promote. Right now, we do not have funds allocated for the purpose of liaison and some of our proposals could not be carried into effect. But, of course, just holding cocktail parties is not enough, I think we should have more occasions where we can explain to the district board members what the Urban Council is doing, so every year I hope that we can have more activities and occasions. I would like to thank Mr. Chairman for organizing a cocktail party for the Urban Council and the urban district boards. These cocktail parties are very good but I hope that this is only the first step. I know that in future we will have more liaison work in each district and that we can really promote good relationship between the Urban Council and the district boards, because during these occasions, we can explain to the district board members the work and jurisdiction of the Urban Council. These are very valuable occasions where we can promote understanding and goodwill and I hope that all the Councillors will work towards the same goal. I also hope that the Chairman of the District Relations Select Committee will really pay attention to the goal of promoting good relationship between the Urban Council and the district boards.
I shall now turn to the hawker problems which have been with us for many years. Recently some hawkers have spilled boiling oil on and injured the passers-by when they dispersed to avoid arrest. Consequently these hawkers are condemned even more strongly by the public. A first-hand investigation reveals that there are over 30 000 licensed and 20 000 unlicensed hawkers in Hong Kong. We are not too sure about the figure of unlicensed hawkers, but we do know that we have a lot of them in Hong Kong. From the experience of economic development in Third World countries, people turn to hawking as a result of drastic urbanization when those living in villages all rush to the cities. Population explosion in the cities usher in the era of industrial revolution, causing serious unemployment. People therefore tend to resort to self- employment, and what better way to start a small business than to be a hawker. Because it is very easy for them to operate, they can operate with a bag or basket and it is very easy for them to start business. Hawking not only provides employment, but also disposes of those left-over products for the manufacturers and in a way helps speed up the turn-over of goods. The unlicensed hawkers need not pay any rent or taxes and provide a convenient and inexpensive service to the consumers. The hawkers only desire to earn a living. Each may
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earn about $100 a day and they enjoy better freedom than those in other trades. They have no bosses and they may work hard or leisurely, earning more or less, as they please. They can all make a living. We must not overlook the contributions of the hawkers to the consumers, the manufacturers and the society. If they are well managed, they will not cause trouble. Most of them do keep good discipline and there is little need for the General Duty Team which requires much expenditure. We should consider the ways adopted by the Government of singapore and issue more licences and stipulate the places and time that the hawkers may operate. In this way, we can collect licence fees as well as business tax and there will be fair competition between the hawkers and the shop keepers. As more nulti-storeyed Urban Council complexes are being put up, the majority of the hawkers will be accommodated in these buildings. But some locations and sites are not attractive to the hawkers, perhaps the hawkers will only fight for places in the busier UC Complexes, but I think that we can still solve these problems intelligently. I admit that we may not be providing enough facilities in the UC Complexes for the hawkers and this may be one of the reasons why they do not want to be accommodated in the UC Complexes. For example, with some efforts, the Sha Tin New Town is now turned into a very popular venue. At present the hawkers do not find favour with the new market buildings and many who have been allotted a stall there are reluctant to move in. I suspect that the facilities are inadequate and not attractive enough. If they are well designed, I am sure members of the public would not mind walking a few more steps to do their shopping at the new markets. As the hawkers are self-disciplined, they will be happy to pay a small sum of licence fees to be able to operate their business without the fear of being arrested. Since the Urban Council has Crown land at its disposal, such land may be made use of in an appropriate way to the advantage of all.
These are my opinions and I shall welcome any enlightenment from my senior colleagues.
With these works, Sir, I support all the proposals before Council.
(Dr. Denny M. H. HUANG left at this point---3.39 p.m.)
MR. EDMUND W. H. CHOW (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, of late, the people of Hong Kong are becoming more and more interested in reforms to the system of government. They are especially concerned with the introduction of a 'ministerial system' hinted by the Chief Secretary at the Legislative Council the other day. I wish to take the opportunity to discuss here the feasibility of the system. I hope that government will in due course give a clear explanation of the system proposed, so as to afford the people ample time to study and give their views on the subject for consideration by government in its 1987 review on the system of government as proposed in the White Paper.
So far as I understand, a 'ministerial system' is one whereby ministers of the various portfolios are selected from members of 'parliament'. In Hong Kong, the Legislative and Executive Councils may perhaps be taken as equivalent to
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