1986 — Page 127

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The following are areas which should be maintained and reinforced--

(A) Public health

-handle pollution problems within the present jurisdiction;

-frequently sample-check and inspect various kinds of food;

-enhance hygiene standards of food and restaurants and step up pest control;

-reinforce present licensing duties;

(B) Cultural services

---encourage and promote diversified cultural activities;

(C) Administration

--actively consult District Boards and community bodies and consider their views when formulating policies concerning the districts.

To effectively improve services in the above areas, members have worked out the size, composition and form of the future unified municipal services body. Most members consider 45 members to be the appropriate size, of which 30 will be directly elected and 15 appointed or selected through other means in consideration of professional knowledge and experience.

This document, with the proposals set out above, is written in line with the principle laid down in the Joint Declaration that 'the current social and economic systems in Hong Kong will remain unchanged', the objective being to improve municipal services and living condition, as well as promote social stability and economic prosperity.

MAN Sai-cheong

Elsie Tu

Philip C. K. Kwok

Peter C. K. CHAN

Frederick K. K. FUNG Howard H. W. YOUNG Lo King-man

MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, today being the 16th time I have attended the Council Annual Debate, I should say I am very experienced. Besides listening to the enlightening views of members, I would like to express my views in the hope of receiving advice from friends new and old.

As instructed by the government, the Council is responsible for the provision of urban services. In carrying out its work, it has to communicate with the public and be directly responsible to them. Regarding the work of the Food Hygiene Select Committee of which I have the honour to be Chairman, in July and August this year, a territory-wide Food Hygiene Campaign was launched in cooperation with the Regional Council with a view to raising standards of hygiene and safeguarding public health. As to legislation on food business and management of food premises, a review has been conducted in the hope of plugging loopholes and revising unrealistic legislation. If the fines are too light to be deterrent, heavier ones should be imposed. If no improvement is effected after the third warning, the licence should be cancelled or at least suspended. All these are to cater for public health.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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after the third warning, the licence should be cancelled or at least suspended. All these are to cater for public health. The several cases of cholera this summer were, fortunately, handled properly, and Hong Kong was thus saved from having to be declared a cholera-infected area. Thanks to assistance from the media, the Food Hygiene Campaign and related seminars, public awareness of the unhygienic condition of on-street food stalls was raised. With less people buying from these food stalls, our work of prohibiting the operation of unlicensed food stalls is assisted. Kwun Tong, for example, has achieved remarkable success, with cases of food poisoning reduced, food manufacturers closely monitored and prosecution stepped up. As Mr. FORSGATE puts it in our Annual Report, 'The Council confidently looks forward to steady expansion in municipal services and facilities in the coming years and will continue to work for a fuller and richer life-style for the people of Hong Kong'. I believe our past efforts have not been wasted, but have borne good results. We are proud to win the praise of high authorities in Beijing which was expressed to our recent delegation to the Capital. And the public's confidence in and recognition of our work in the provision of urban facilities and services is encouraging indeed.

Being the first body to have elected elements, the Council is a pioneer in democratization. How unjust it is now that political reforms are to be introduced, this pioneer should be ignored, and people should query whether it should co-exist with the District Boards. In fact, looking at the arrangement at the funeral for the late Sir Edward YOUDE, what status the Council now has is just too evident. It is time that we endeavour to enhance our status.

There is every need for us to attend meetings on constitutional affairs to set out our terms of reference. Evidently there is not enough concern on the part of the Council towards constitutional changes. I therefore suggest a concerned group on constitutional affairs be set up and more adjournment debates arranged to allow members more opportunities to offer their views to the Basic Law Consultative and Drafting Committees. As constitutional affairs concern us all, each and every one of the people of Hong Kong has the duty to participate in them, not to mention we representatives of the public. We must not forsake our democratic rights and duties. We must participate and discuss. Even a fool can sometimes contribute a good idea that deserves serious consideration.

Members of the Council are mostly chosen from the public. As a bridge between the government and the public, we have over the years been keeping up contact with the latter and succeeded in reducing communication gaps. We can thus justly say that we are representatives of the public. Why should we remain silent and indifferent to the call for dissolution of the Council? Is it not amazing that we should leave us at the mercy of others? I very much hope that we will, following the trend, participate in the discussion of politics and build up for ourselves a bright future.

I support the motion.

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