150
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
At the same time, as you have just said, Mr. Chairman, the Council and the Department will continue to effect strict economies, through value-for-money studies across its vast range of activities and services provided to the public, without in any way detracting from the quality of such services and activities. To this end, a Steering Group has been formed, comprising the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Administration Select Committee, and Senior Directorate in the Department, who will maintain the present momentum and indeed escalate it, so that rate-payers can be assured that the strictest economies will continue to be enforced in dealing with our financial and management resources. Additionally, Working Parties have been set up to examine more cost-effective methods of dealing with several of the Council's major activities, including hawkers, abattoirs, and swimming pools.
Furthermore, in line with municipal trends overseas, the Council is seriously exploring the possible benefits from further privatisation of some of its services, in other words, contracting out to the private sector certain basic services, which can be more economically carried out by private contractors. The prime objective for adopting this approach is to ensure that the maximum possible value is obtained for rate-payers' money. The Council has already authorised some trials in privatisation, and the signs so far indicate that, subject to certain conditions being achieved, in addition to maintaining present standards of service, considerable financial savings can be attained. This is a very promising option which the Council will be pursuing vigorously in the future.
Meanwhile, now that the Council's financial worries are over for the present, we must get on with streamlining the outdated Memorandum of Administrative Arrangements between the Government and the Council, drawn up more than 12 years ago. The Joint Working Party will continue to meet in the coming months and, hopefully working with the same spirit of co-operation and goodwill as that which prevailed during the negotiations on the financial package, a new Memorandum of Administrative Arrangements will be drawn up to ensure that the Urban Council's wide spectrum of services and facilities will continue to keep pace with this vibrant city of ours.
Environment
Turning to the environment, members may have read that last month, Hong Kong was host to an environment conference that highlighted many of the problems that beset the modern consumer-oriented society; and Hong Kong is certainly one of those.
The Committee, which organised the Conference, chaired by our colleague, Walter SULKE, did a first-class job in staging this first-ever such conference in Hong Kong. The papers which were discussed are combined in a publication called 'Pollution in the Urban Environment', at HK$200, is very good value. An added bonus would be that close study of this publication, and its distilled wisdom from many sources, would enable one to debate environmental matters with the experts, including our, of course, in-house experts.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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151
The E.N.H. Select Committee has, for 20 years of its, and its predecessor's existence, been seeking the elimination of pig breeding in the urban areas. The Health and Welfare Branch of the Government has just produced a consultative document seeking opinions on the controls to be gradually imposed to achieve this end. In fact, it was discussed at our last Select Committee meeting. The objective will be to reduce the intense pollution of water in the New Territories from the indiscriminate discarding of animal waste. I am sure the E.N.H. Select Committee will welcome any measure designed to reduce this long-standing problem.
Transport
I feel I ought to take this opportunity to say something about transport matters. One thing is certain, the acute traffic congestion experienced in the early 80's will return by the early 90's, unless measures are taken to deal with the problem.
While most agree on this prediction, it is, however, in prescribing a solution that opinions differ. Traffic management can take many forms. Swingeing fiscal measures, such as were imposed in 1983, that reversed the trend in private car ownership, and at the same time, dramatically reduced road congestion. Singapore-type area controls. Or road pricing by other measures, such as Electronic Road Pricing, all have advantages and disadvantages. Whatever the proponents of one system or the other may say, the Government will be dodging the issue if they do not grasp one or other of those nettles before it is too late. Personally, I am an advocate of the E.R.P. system, having been persuaded by the arguments in its favour, in comparison with those of the other 2 alternatives.
U.C. Election
Our elected colleagues now embark on their election campaign, and I am sure we all wish them well in their endeavours. I have found their approach and advice to various Council problems stimulating and helpful. I think some of the work done in the last year has been positively staggering, particularly those who took part in the Working Party on the hawker problem. I hope they will use the opportunity provided under the temporary glare of publicity to set the record straight regarding Council's policies and achievements, which are under attack and the subject of uninformed criticism from some quarters.
I wish you luck and support the motion.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English): Mr. Chairman, A lot has happened in the way of constitutional reform since the last Annual Debate. For the first time ever, twenty-four members of the Legislative Council have not been nominated by the Governor. I did not say they have been 'elected' members, because half of them represent what is called 'functional constituencies', which, in effect, is a form of nomination by some of the specific bodies of people who form our community, which the remaining twelve had been nominated through the electoral college system, which I particularly deprecate. It has caused a lot of...
Page 91 of 195
150
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
At the same time, as you have just said, Mr. Chairman, the Council and the Department will continue to effect strict economies, through value-for-money studies across its vast range of activities and services provided to the public, without in any way detracting from the quality of such services and activities. To this end, a Steering Group has been formed, comprising the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Administration Select Committee, and Senior Director- ate in the Department, who will maintain the present momentum and indeed escalate it, so that rate-payers can be assured that the strictest economies will continue to be enforced in dealing with our financial and management resources. Additionally, Working Parties have been set up to examine more cost-effective methods of dealing with several of the Council's major activity, including hawkers, abattoirs and swimming pools.
areas of
Furthermore, in line with municipal trends overseas, the Council is seriously exploring the possible benefits from further privatisation of some of its services in other words, contracting out to the private sector certain basic services, which can be more economically carried out by private contractors. The prime objective for adopting this approach, is to ensure that the maximum possible value is obtained for rate-payers' money. The Council has already authorized some trials in privatization, and the signs so far indicate that subject to certain conditions being achieved, in addition to maintaining present standards of service, considerable financial savings can be attained. This is a very promising option which the Council will be pursuing vigorously in the future.
Meanwhile, now that the Council's financial worries are over for the present. we must get on with streamlining the outdated Memorandum of Administrative Arrangements, between the Government and the Council, drawn up more than 12 years ago. The Joint Working Party will continue to meet in the coming months and, hopefully working with the same spirit of co-operation and goodwill as that which prevailed during the negotiations on the financial package, a new Memorandum of Administrative Arrangements will be drawn up, to ensure that the Urban Council's wide spectrum of services and facilities will continue to keep pace with this vibrant city of ours.
Environment
Turning to the environment, members may have read that last month, Hong Kong was host to an environment conference that highlighted many of the problems that beset the modern consumer oriented society; and Hong Kong is certainly one of those.
The Committee which organized the Conference chaired by our colleague, Walter SULKE, did a first class job in staging this first ever such conference in Hong Kong. The papers which were discussed are combined in a publication called 'Pollution in the Urban Environment', at HK$200 is very good value. An added bonus would be that close study of this publication, and its distilled wisdom from many sources, would enable one to debate environmental matter with the experts including our, of course, in-house experts.
paper
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 91 of 195
151
The E.N.H. Select Committee has for 20 years of it, and its predecessor's existance, been seeking the elimination of pig breeding in the urban areas. The Health and Welfare Branch of the Government has just produced a consultative seeking opinions on the controls to be gradually imposed to achieve this end. In fact, it was discussed at our last Select Committee meeting. The objective will be to reduce the intense pollution of water in the New Territories from the indiscriminate discarding of animal waste. I am sure the E.N.H. Select Committee will welcome any measure designed to reduce this long standing
problem.
Transport I feel I ought to take this opportunity to say something about transport matters. One thing is certain, the acute traffic congestion experienced in the early 80's will return by the early 90's, unless measures are taken to deal with the problem.
While most agree on this prediction, it is however in prescribing a solution that opinions differ. Traffic management can take many forms. Swingeing fiscal measures such as were imposed in 1983, that reversed the trend in private car ownership, and at the same time, dramatically reduced road congestion. Singapore type area controls. Or road pricing by other measures such as Electronic Road Pricing, all have advantages and disadvantages. Whatever the Proponents of one system or the other may say, the Government will be dodging the issue, if they do not grasp one or other of those nettles before it is too late. Personally I am an advocate of the E.R.P. system, having been persuaded by the arguements in its favour, in comparison with those of the other 2 alternatives.
U.C. Election
Our elected colleagues now embark on their election campaign, and I am sure we all wish them well in their endeavours. I have found their approach and advice to various Council problems stimulating and helpful. I think some of the work done in the last year has been positively staggering particularly those who took part in the Working Party on hawker problem. I hope they will use the opportunity provided under the temporary glare of publicity, to set the record straight regarding Council's policies and achievements, which are under attack and the subject of uninformed criticism from some quarters.
I wish you luck and support the motion.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-Mr. Chairman, A lot has happened in the way of constitutional reform since the last Annual Debate. For the first time ever, twenty four members of the Legislative Council have not been nominated by the Governor. I did not say they has been 'elected' members, because half of them represent what is called 'functional constituencies' which in effect is a form of nomination by some of the specific bodies of people who form our community, which the remaining twelve had been nominated through the electoral college system which I particularly deprecate. It has caused a
Page 91 of 195
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