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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
It has been noticed that cross-membership of the three tiers of local government have resulted in absenteeism. If a member has to attend meetings of the District Board, the Municipal Council and the Legislative Council, he will most likely choose to attend the more prestigious one. Consequently, we have heard criticisms by District Boards of the absenteeism of their Legislative Council representative as well as Urban Councillors, and in the Urban Council we have noticed that the meetings and the work of the Council are neglected by some members of the Legislative Council.
I think it is clear from my arguments that I am against the option of adding indirectly elected District Board representatives to the Urban Council. Not only would it solve no problems but it would reduce the directly elected membership of the Urban Council to less than forty per cent, instead of its present 50 per cent.
However, we have already taken steps to close up any gap in information with the District Boards by inviting the Chairman of certain functional committees to attend briefings at important meetings of the Urban Council. To be constructive, I suggest that we should pursue this line, and co-opt, on an ad hoc basis, the District Board Chairmen of functional committees whenever any issue of importance involving their districts is discussed. The Chairmen of these functional committees could then express in the Urban Council the views of their District Boards, and relate back to their District Boards the views of the Urban Council.
In the meantime, I suggest that it would be better not at this point in time, to make changes in the structure of the Urban Council, especially a structure that would dilute the elected element, and which has, I believe, throughout its over 100 years of history progressively fulfilled its role in providing services essential to public health and the well-being of the community. The time to change the structure is when the public complains with good reason that it is unable to fulfil its duties, and not merely for the sake of change.
With these words, I support the Motion.
THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, from the views which have been publicly expressed on the Green Paper since its publication, it is clear that an overwhelming majority are in favour of retaining the three-tiered system, that is:
(1) the Legislative Council on the first tier;
(2) the Urban and Regional Councils on the second tier; and
(3) the District Boards on the third tier.
This is the view which is shared by the great majority of Urban Councillors, including myself.
A number of District Boards are in favour of increasing the size of the Urban Council by electing their own representatives to the Urban Council.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Virtually all Urban Councillors—or at least the overwhelming majority feel strongly that such is not necessary as elected Urban Councillors are ex-officio members of District Boards and are fully able to act as a two-way channel between the Urban Council and the District Boards on which they sit.
In addition, officers from the Urban Services Department are at all times available to attend meetings of District Boards, or District Board Committees, or to resolve the various problems, or to improve the services for which the Urban Council has full responsibility.
In the Regional Council, Councillors are not ex-officio members of District Boards, and since the Regional Council has been established only quite recently, I believe it is premature for Government to insist that the Urban Council should follow the Regional Council structure in its relationship with the District Boards.
I support the view that the present size and structure of the Urban Council, and its manner of ex-officio representation on the district boards, should be retained without any change whatsoever for the purposes of the 1987 Green Paper Review. However, should an element of direct elections to the Legislative Council be decided for 1988, the relationship between the Legislative Council, Municipal Councils and District Boards would have to be carefully considered in light of changing circumstances.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I just want to take this opportunity to re-state my strongest support of the Urban Council's consistent position that there should be no change in the composition of this Council and I will leave it to my colleague to elaborate.
As for my seat in the District Board, I have been working happily with my colleagues in the Kowloon District Board and I will be just as happy to continue my work there.
Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, as regards the Green Paper on government system, I have the following views:
(1) It is an indisputable fact that the three-tier system works well. The Urban Council was once commended by the Governor Sir David for its good performance. Changes at this time in Hong Kong may affect the overall economic prosperity of the territory. The people of Hong Kong, including commercial organizations and financial institutions, are most sensitive. Mere rumours may lead to difficult situations. Thus my first point is changes should not be too drastic, especially before the promulgation of the Basic Law. Hong Kong is like a rose in full bloom, which is easily destroyed by wind and rain. China and Britain are not the only parties which do not wish to see the destruction. But if it happens the people of Hong Kong will be the only victims. Hong Kong will be inflicting losses and harm on itself by any rash actions it takes. On the
Page 37 of 185
Page 37 of 185
66
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
It has been noticed that cross-membership of the three tiers of local government have resulted in absenteeism. If a member has to attend meetings of the District Board, the Municipal Council and the Legislative Council, he will most likely choose to attend the more prestigious one. Consequently, we have heard criticisms by District Boards of the absenteeism of their Legislative Council representative as well as Urban Councillors, and in the Urban Council we have noticed that the meetings and the work of the Council are neglected by some members of the Legislative Council.
I think it is clear from my arguments that I am against the option of adding indirectly elected District Board representatives to the Urban Council. Not only would it solve no problems but it would reduce the directly elected membership of the Urban Council to less than forty per cent, instead of its present 50 per
cent.
However, we have already taken steps to close up any gap in information with the District Boards by inviting the Chairman of certain functional committees to attend briefings at important meetings of the Urban Council. To be constructive, I suggest that we should pursue this line, and co-opt, on an ad hoc basis, the District Board Chairmen of functional committees whenever any issue of importance involving their districts is discussed. The Chairmen of these functional committees could then express in the Urban Council the views of their District Boards, and relate back to their District Boards the views of the Urban Council.
In the meantime, I suggest that it would be better not at this point in time, to make changes in the structure of the Urban Council, especially a structure that would dilute the elected element, and which has, I believe, throughout its over 100 years of history progressively fulfilled its role in providing services essential to public health and the well-being of the community. The time to change the structure is when the public complains with good reason that it is unable to fulfil its duties, and not merely for the sake of change.
With these words, I support the Motion.
THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, from the views which have been publicly expressed on the Green Paper since its publication, it is clear that an overwhelming majority are in favour of retaining the three-tiered system, that is:
(1) the Legislative Council on the first tier;
(2) the Urban and Regional Councils on the second tier; and
(3) the District Boards on the third tier.
This is the view which is shared by the great majority of Urban Councillors, including myself.
A number of District Boards are in favour of increasing the size of the Urban Council by electing their own representatives to the Urban Council.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 37 of 185
67
Virtually all Urban Councillors—or at least the overwhelming majority feel strongly that such is not necessary as elected Urban Councillors are ex-officio members of District Boards and are fully able to act as a two-way channel between the Urban Council and the District Boards on which they sit.
In addition, officers from the Urban Services Department are at all times availabe to attend meetings of District Boards, or District Board Committees, or to resolve the various problems, or to improve the services for which the Urban Council has full responsibility.
In the Regional Council, Councillors are not ex-officio members of District Boards, and since the Regional Council has been established only quite recently, I believe it is premature for Government to insist that the Urban Council should follow the Regional Council structure in its relationship with the District Boards.
I support the view that the present size and structure of the Urban Council, and its manner of ex-officio representation on the district boards, should be retained without any change whatsoever for the purposes of the 1987 Green Paper Review. However, should an element of direct elections to the Legislative Council be decided for 1988, the relationship between the Legislative Council, Municipal Councils and District Boards would have to be carefully considered in light of changing circumstances.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I just want to take this opportunity to re-state my strongest support of the Urban Council's consistent position that there should be no change in the composition of this Council and I will leave it to my colleaque to elaborate.
As for my seat in the District Board, I have been working happily with my colleagues in the Kowloon District Board and I will be just as happy to continue my work there.
Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, as regards the Green Paper on government system, I have the following views:-
(1) It is an indisputable fact that the three-tier system works well. The Urban Council was once commended by the Governor Sir David for its good performance. Changes at this time in Hong Kong may affect the overall economic prosperity of the territory. The people of Hong Kong, including commercial organizations and financial institutions, are most sensitive. Mere rumours may lead to difficult situations. Thus my first point is changes should not be too drastic, especially before the promulgation of the Basic Law. Hong Kong is like a rose in full bloom, which is easily destroyed by wind and rain. China and Britain are not the only parties which do not wish to see the destruction. But if it happens the people of Hong Kong will be the only victims. Hong Kong will be inflicting losses and harm on itself by any rash actions it takes. On the
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