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that the local cultural construction can keep in step with economic development, so that our culture can reflect the kind of look Hong Kong is assumed to have as a cosmopolitan city while enriching both material and spiritual life of the public.
MR. CHOW CHEUNG WAI-PING (in Cantonese):—
'Governed by law!'
Many of our colleagues have expressed extreme indignation at the tyrannical act of the central government during Tuesday's debate! I, of course, feel the same. My friends consider that it is a pity for me to join a Council with shrinking power at this twilight time. And somebody believe that if one wants 'to do something', one should join the Legislative Council; if one wants to be 'regarded as being important', District Boards would be the choice...
Mr. Chairman, I want to tell my friends here, 'You don't have to be sorry for the Urban Council. Don't admire any sort of Councillors. In this so-called 'governed-by-law' society, the Government can make the legislation any time it likes. It can also amend the legislation any time it likes! What you get today may be taken away tomorrow; the achievements you make out of your own efforts may be denied because of the complaint lodged by an individual! This shows that they are responsive to public opinion! I now understand it thoroughly! To be a little bit narrow-minded, we can go off in a huff, or boycott (the Government), or go out for a demonstration in protest! But as we have made our promises to the citizens, we have to do the Council's work well. Others can be a rubber stamp. But we have to work hard in a down-to-earth style. We have to enact or revise the municipal ordinance by legitimate means in the interests of all citizens in Hong Kong. Don't neglect the aged and spoil the young.
In view of the fact that our voice is not heard by the Government and that the Legislative Council has, in actual fact, no legislative function, we can but, in an active way, run for the District Board election in accordance with our own situation so as to continue with our commitment as being the link between the District Boards and the Urban Council, and help our citizens to promote their living standard. We have to prove our functions with action and I am sure that our colleagues would support and encourage one another in doing so.
I support your motion.
MISS FOK PUI-YEE (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, 1987 is a year during which we have undergone numerous obvious changes in both local politics and social policies. The Urban Council will also have to experience a change brought about by the Green Paper on 'The 1987 Review of Developments in Representative Government' in that Urban Councillors, under the policies implemented by the authorities would later cease to play their additional roles as District Board members. To a certain extent, such a change is indeed a blow to the Urban Council.
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Mr. Chairman, this is the second time I attend the Urban Council Annual Conventional Debate as an elected Councillor. It is sad to say that the proposal of setting up a Central Provident Fund the only issue I focused on during last year's debate has been turned down by the authorities last year. This is a very serious blow to the trade union leaders, social welfare workers, some of the Exco and Legco members, Urban Councilors, District Board members and the international social welfare organizations who endeavour to promote the overall development of our society and take care of the labour force, and, the most important of all, the 1 million labourers of Hong Kong. In fact, it is shown from many data that the implementation of the scheme cannot be a burden to the Government and be any great influence to the livelihood, social development, political stability, the local economy or financial commitments of the employers. It is a pity that the government does not pay heed to any fact and makes no rational decisions which suit Hong Kong.
Furthermore, many social services have undergone qualitative changes in their operation when Hong Kong enters the transition period. I do not want to describe them with concepts like privatization, since such a concept is highly controversial and would give rise to misunderstanding of many people. Just take the district in which I live and where most of the public housing are over a quarter of a century old as an example. Since many of the housing estates have been scheduled for redevelopment, the housing problem can be considered as an immediate concern of the residents.
Last year, the government has approved the documents on long-term housing policy which stipulates the ratio of public housing, home ownership scheme courts and private premises to be built around the end of the century, as well as the lots of land that can be used for development. At the same time, the reorganized Housing Authority is to formulate its future housing development plan by way of self-financing. Of course, such a way of doing has its own merits from the point of view of long term development. What the residents of the lower social class worry most is that housing can no longer receive such substantial subsidy from the government as items like education and medical services do. During the past decade, doubtlessly there has been a general rise in the income of the local citizens, however, on the aspect of redistribution of wealth, and the growing difference in living standards of the rich and the poor, I can see that the situation gets worse, and the phenomenon of 'The poor gets poorer while the rich gets richer' still remains.
Mr. Chairman, let us not forget that we still have a lot of Vietnamese refugees, new immigrants from China and a group of people wanting help in the community. The authorities have to formulate timely social policies with prior concern for these major issues so that this group of people, who are most in need of help, get at least some attention and assistance.
Apart from housing problems, we also have the 'Hospital Authority' which is going to be set up soon. As pathological knowledge is becoming more
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Page 150 of 185
290
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
that the local cultural construction can keep in step with economic development, so that our culture can reflect the kind of look Hong Kong is assumed to have as a cosmopolitan city while enriching both material and spiritual life of the public.
MR. CHOW CHEUNG WAI-PING (in Cantonese):—
'Governed by law!'
Many of our colleagues have expressed extreme indignation at the tyrannical act of the central government during Tuesday's debate! I, of course, feel the same. My friends consider that it is a pity for me to join a Council with shrinking power at this twilight time. And somebody believe that if one wants 'to do something', one should join the Legislative Council; if one wants to be 'regarded as being important', District Boards would be the choice...
Mr. Chairman, I want to tell my friends here, 'You don't have to be sorry for the Urban Council. Don't admire any sort of Councillors. In this so-called 'governed-by-law' society, the Government can make the legislation any time it likes. It can also amend the legislation any time it likes! What you get today may be taken away tomorrow; the achievements you make out of your own efforts may be denied because of the complaint lodged by an individual! This shows that they are responsive to public opinion! I now understand it thoroughly! To be a little bit narrow-minded, we can go off in a huff, or boycott (the Government), or go out for a demonstration in protest! But as we have made our promises to the citizens, we have to do the Council's work well. Others can be a rubber stamp. But we have to work hard in a down-to-earth style. We have to enact or revise the municipal ordinance by legitimate means in the interests of all citizens in Hong Kong. Don't neglect the aged and spoil the young.
In view of the fact that our voice is not heard by the Government and that the Legislative Council has, in actual fact, no legislative function, we can but, in an active way, run for the District Board election in accordance with our own situation so as to continue with our commitment as being the link between the District Boards and the Urban Council, and help our citizens to promote their living standard. We have to prove our functions with action and I am sure that our colleagues would support and encourage one another in doing so.
I support your motion.
MISS FOK PUI-YEE (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, 1987 is a year during which we have undergone numerous obvious changes in both local politics and social policies. The Urban Council will also have to experience a change brought about by the Green Paper on 'The 1987 Review of Developments in Representa- tive Government' in that Urban Councillors, under the policies implemented by the authorities would later cease to play their additional roles as District Board members. To a certain extent, such a change is indeed a blow to the Urban Council.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 150 of 185
291
Mr. Chairman, this is the second time I attend the Urban Council Annual Conventional Debate as an elected Councillor. It is sad to say that the proposal of setting up a Central Provident Fund the only issue I focused on during last year's debate has been turned down by the authorities last year. This is a very serious blow to the trade union leaders, social welfare workers, some of the Exco and Legco members, Urban Councilors, District Board members and the international social welfare organizations who endeavour to promote the overall development of our society and take care of the labour force, and, the most important of all, the 1 million labourers of Hong Kong. In fact, it is shown from many data that the implementation of the scheme cannot be a burden to the Government and be any great influence to the livelihood, social develop- ment, political stability, the local economy or financial commitments of the employers. It is a pity that the government does not pay heed to any fact and makes no rational decisions which suit Hong Kong.
Furthermore, many social services have undergone qualitative changes in their operation when Hong Kong enters the transition period. I do not want to describe them with concepts like privatization, since such a concept is highly controversial and would give rise to misunderstanding of many people. Just take the district in which I live and where most of the public housing are over a quarter of a century old as an example. Since many of the housing estates have been scheduled for redevelopment, the housing problem can be considered as animmediate concern of the residents.
Last year, the government has approved the documents on long-term housing policy which stipulates the ratio of public housing, home ownership scheme courts and private premises to be built around the end of the century, as well as the lots of land that can be used for development. At the same time, the reorganized Housing Authority is to formulate its future housing development plan by way of self-financing. Of course, such a way of doing has its own merits from the point of view of long term development. What the residents of the lower social class worry most is that housing can no longer receive such substantial subsidy from the government as items like education and medical services do. During the past decade, doubtlessly there has been a general rise in the income of the local citizens, however, on the aspect of redistribution of wealth, and the growing difference in living standards of the rich and the poor, I can see that the situation get worse, and the phenomenon of 'The poor gets poorer while the rich gets richer' still remains.
Mr. Chairman, let us not forget that we still have a lot of Vietnamese refuges, new immigrants from China and a group of people wanting help in the community. The authorities have to formulate timely social policies with prior concern for these major issues so that this group of people, who are most in need of help, get at least some attention and assistance.
Apart from housing problems, we also have the 'Hospital Authority' which is going to be set up soon. As pathological knowledge is becoming more
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Page 151 of 185
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