1985 — Page 142

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

then I am sure a lesser number of people would attend those activities. Generally speaking, for example, the Chinese Orchestra or drama performance, the prices are the same in the urban areas and the New Territories. What we are worried is about the level of representation if the prices were the same, basically the prices are the same, but for individual programmes, there may be differences in the level of prices.

2. MR. SAMUEL WONG asked the following question (in English):--Reference to the 1986–87 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure of the Council, could we be informed of the total personal emoluments which could be directly related to the activities of the two abattoirs managed by this Council? Is there any plan to privatize these abattoirs in the near future?

Mrs. E. Tu, Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Com- MITTEE, replied as follows (in English):---Mr. Chairman, The first part of the question concerns the total estimated personal emoluments for 1986–87 directly related to the activities of the two abattoirs managed by this Council.

The estimated annual personal emoluments bill for this specific area of activity, including the 40% on costs which the Council is required to pay to the Government for its staff, is $110 million.

The second part of the question asks whether there is any plan to privatize the two Council's abattoirs in the near future.

In order to enhance cost-effectiveness and the quality of the services provided in the Abattoirs, the Department is now studying all possible options in this area. Privatization is clearly one such option. The Department has not yet reached any firm conclusion on which option is most cost-effective: when a firm conclusion is reached, detailed proposals will be submitted to Council for consideration.

MR. WONG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, according to our annual budget for the next year, the income from these 2 abattoirs would be in the region of $114m comparing with our salary and wages bill of $110m. We are going to have $4m short, plus the fact that we have to spend something like $16m on the maintenance of the building, equipment, etc., we will have a total of $20m shortfall. Are we going to recover this by increasing charges?

MRS. TU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, this trend has been going on for some time and may be partly because of private abattoirs. In recent months, in fact, for 2 years the department has been very much taken up with studying of markets and street traders and so on, and I do not think that enough time has been given to investigating this point about abattoirs, I am very grateful to Mr. WONG for raising the question, so we can get back to the nitty gritty of dealing with the deficits in abattoirs, I am sure this point will be considered.

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MR. BERNACCHI (in English):--Is the Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee aware that the privatization of rubbish 'lap sap' has not been a success at least in the Eastern District and there are far more smelly 'lap sap' now than there were when the Council itself did the clean up?

MRS. TU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to Mr. BERNACCHI for this information, no decision has been taken and no discussion even held on the possible privatization and when the discussion are held, Mr. BERNACCHI's point will certainly be mentioned. Thank you.

MR. SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, is it not quite wrong to have abattoirs in the middle of the city? The original reasons for having them left were security which are now obsolete. Would it not be much better to abolish these abattoirs and either have them in Shenzhen or move them right out in the New Territories?

MRS. TU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am being asked to give an opinion on the matter. I think when they were built, the abattoirs were really quite outside the densely populated area but no longer so today. I do not know whether we are talking about building new abattoirs, which are very expensive, but this point can be considered. I do not think we can do much about the present ones, unless we have enough money to build new ones further away from the city.

MOTIONS

1. THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, moved the following motion:-

'RESOLVED that the Council should resolve itself into the Standing Committee of the Whole Council under Standing Order 2.'

He said (in English):-

'RESOLVED that the Council should resolve itself into the Standing Committee of the Whole Council under Standing Order 2.'

MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, seconded (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.

The question was put.

The motion was carried unanimously.

(Note: The minutes of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council are

recorded separately in Committee Minutes CW/20/85.)

(Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI left shortly after this point—3.15 p.m.)

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