Page 174 of 233
308
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
No doubt the elections to District Boards are the best means of education. The potential candidates should not only represent the interests of their own groups, but should bear in mind the interests of the whole district or the whole of Hong Kong in their handling of public business. They should not attach too much importance to personal and sectional interests which may indirectly affect the well-being of the whole community. Should the situation not be handled properly, the professionals and entrepreneurs in Hong Kong may be scared away one after another in the coming years and the prosperity of Hong Kong will be affected to some extent.
If Hong Kong is not able to maintain its prosperity and stability in the coming years, I am afraid the effect will spill over to Beijing when the Basic Law is being drafted.
The efforts of the people of Hong Kong are certainly important in maintaining the prosperity and stability of the territory, but they cannot go it alone. The water and foodstuffs Hong Kong requires are mostly imported from China Mainland and it is hoped that China will stabilize the price of these commodities so that the people of Hong Kong may enjoy a more stable life.
Come 1997 the harbour in Hong Kong will be as deep and wide, the skyscrapers are still everywhere, and the mass transit railway, the cross harbour tunnel and the motor-ways along the coasts will all continue to exist. However, will Hong Kong remain a prosperous society by then or will it be under the shadow of doubts and worries? It will depend on whether the people of Hong Kong are able to maintain their commercial and industrial development in the 12 years ahead. By 1997 there will probably be still over 5,000,000 people in Hong Kong, but how many of the elite, the entrepreneurs, the professionals, and the technicians will remain to support its prosperity? The question is worth our concern.
We are not only concerned with the quantity, but also the quality of our population. On the one hand, we must retain our elite and encourage them to stay here by providing a stable system of government. On the other hand, we must take urgent action to train more professionals and technicians to become pillars of our future society.
This will not only be conducive to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, but also to the implementation of China's four modernizations.
There is another important condition for the maintenance of prosperity in Hong Kong—whether or not the unofficials are able to inspire confidence in the people in the coming 12 years. At the same time it is hoped that China will extend her assistance and co-operation to Hong Kong from time to time so as to strengthen Hong Kong's international position. All these will require the efforts of the unofficials to foster greater co-operation between China, Britain and Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 174 of 233
309
It is also hoped that China will, in regard to the drafting of the Basic Law or the administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after 1997, take into consideration the interests and the views of the people of Hong Kong. In this way, the future stability of the territory will be ensured.
Hawkers
In 1983, there were about 27,000 licensed and 18,000 unlicensed hawkers in the urban areas in Hong Kong. By the end of 1984, licensed and unlicensed hawkers numbered approximately 25,000 and 17,000 respectively in the urban areas.
The figures in respect of licensed hawkers are accurate while those for unlicensed hawkers could only be estimated.
The reasons for progressive decrease in the number of licensed hawkers in the urban areas year after year are: (1) With the building of new markets, many of the hawkers have become stall operators in these markets; (2) Some of the hawkers have moved to live in the New Territories and have possibly shifted to hawk there; and (3) Some have ceased to be hawkers.
The problem facing Hong Kong is that the hawkers congregate around main thoroughfares and obstruct traffic. Some also hawk in front of shops and affect the business of the shop-keepers who pay rents and rates.
If there is no control by the police and the General Duties Team, much more confusion will be caused by the hawkers. The situation is particularly apparent in those areas popular with the hawkers. At night and during holidays when there is less patrol by the General Duties Team, there will be many hawkers operating in the thoroughfares, posing greater problems to traffic and environmental cleanliness. It really shows the differences between adequate and inadequate control.
If the control over unlicensed hawkers is relaxed for a longer period, there is a likelihood that their number will greatly swell, and the conditions of our streets will be further deteriorated.
Last year the Council's Markets & Street Traders Select Committee formed a Working Party To Review Hawker & Related Policies chaired by Mrs. E. ELLIOTT. The Working Party has visited all the 10 Urban District Boards and collected many valuable views on the matter. In addition, the Working Party is also consulting and making inquiries of relevant organizations about the problems with a view to concluding the investigation and submitting its report at an early date.
The District Boards have all given their opinions on how to control the hawkers, build more markets and set up hawker areas, but none is in favour of decontrol.
On account of last year's slow pace in economic development in Hong Kong, more people may have joined the ranks of unlicensed hawkers. In the latter half
Page 174 of 233
308
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
No doubt the elections to District Boards are the best means of education. The potential candidates should not only represent the interests of their own groups, but should bear in mind the interests of the whole district or the whole of Hong Kong in their handling of public business. They should not attach too much importance to personal and sectional interests which may indirectly affect the well-being of the whole community. Should the situation not be handled properly, the professionals and entrepreneurs in Hong Kong may be scared away one after another in the coming years and the prosperity of Hong Kong
will be affected to some extent.
If Hong Kong is not able to maintain its prosperity and stability in the coming years, I am afraid the effect will spill over to Beijing when the Basic Law is being drafted.
The efforts of the people of Hong Kong are certainly important in maintaining the prosperity and stability of the territory, but they cannot go it alone. The water and foodstuffs Hong Kong requires are mostly imported from China Mainland and it is hoped that China will stabilize the price of these commodities so that the people of Hong Kong may enjoy a more stable life.
Come 1997 the harbour in Hong Kong will be as deep and wide, the skyscrappers are still everywhere, and the mass transit railway, the cross harbour tunnel and the motor-ways along the coasts will all continue to exist. However, will Hong Kong remain a prosperous society by then or will it be under the shadow of doubts and worries? It will depend on whether the people of Hong Kong are able to maintain their commercial and industrial development in the 12 years ahead. By 1997 there will probably be still over 5 000 000 people in Hong Kong, but how many of the elite, the entrepreneurs, the professionals, and the technicians will remain to support its prosperity? The question is worth our concern.
We are not only concerned with the quantity, but also the quality of our population. On the one hand, we must retain our elite and encourage them to stay here by providing a stable system of government. On the other hand, we must take urgent action to train more professionals and technicians to become pillars of our future society.
This will not only be conducive to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, but also to the implementation of China's four modernizations.
There is another important condition for the maintenance of prosperity in Hong Kong-whether or not the unofficials are able to inspire confidence in the people in the coming 12 years. At the same time it is hoped that China will extend her assistance and co-operation to Hong Kong from time to time so as to strengthen Hong Kong's international position. All these will require the efforts of the unofficials to foster greater co-operation between China, Britain and Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 174 of 233
309
It is also hoped that China will, in regard to the drafting of the basic Law or the administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after 1997, take into consideration the interests and the views of the people of Hong Kong. In this way, the future stability of the territory will be ensured.
Hawkers
In 1983, there were about 27 000 licensed and 18 000 unlicensed hawkers in the urban areas in Hong Kong. By the end of 1984, licensed and unlicensed hawkers numbered approximately 25 000 and 17 000 respectively in the urban
areas.
The figures in respect of licensed hawkers are accurate while those for unlicensed hawkers could only be estimated.
The reasons for progressive decrease in the number of licensed hawkers in the urban areas year after year are: (1) With the building of new markets, many of the hawkers have become stall operators in these markets; (2) Some of the hawkers have moved to live in the New Territories and have possibly shifted to hawk there; and (3) Some have ceased to be hawkers.
The problem facing Hong Kong is that the hawkers congregate around main thoroughfares and obstruct traffic. Some also hawk in front of shops and affect the business of the shop-keepers who pay rents and rates.
If there is no control by the police and the General Duties Team, much more confusion will be caused by the hawkers. The situation is particularly apparent in those areas popular with the hawkers. At night and during holidays when there is less patrol by the General Duties Team, there will be many hawkers operating in the thoroughfares, posing greater problems to traffic and environmental cleanliness. It really shows the differences between adequate and inadequate control.
If the control over unlicensed hawkers is relaxed for a longer period, there is a likelihood that their number will greatly swell, and the conditions of our streets will be further deteriorated.
Last year the Council's Markets & Street Traders Select Committee formed a Working Party To Review Hawker & Related Policies chaired by Mrs. E. ELLIOTT. The Working Party has visited all the 10 Urban District Boards and collected many valuable views on the matter. In addition, the Working Party is also consulting and making inquiries of relevent organizations about the problems with a view to concluding the investigation and submitting its report at an early date.
The District Boards have all given their opinions on how to control the hawkers, build more markets and set up hawker areas, but none is in favour of decontrol.
On account of last year's slow pace in economic development in Hong Kong, more people may have joined the ranks of unlicensed hawkers. In the latter half
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.