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The extension of this provision to allow more district participation may be explored and recommended.
(4) The Government may wish to meet all extra cost of setting up mini department to carry out the work of regional/district committee decision, it still appears an attempt to create a 4th tier government, it will not be acceptable in principle because it will cause more conflicts between regional/district committee and functional committee of Urban Council, it will sour the working relationship rather than improving.
(5) It is recognized that it is better to leave the advice of District Board to government departments, and advice to Urban Services Department just like any other government department.
MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to put forward my views on the relationship between the district boards and the municipal councils as discussed in Chapter III of the Green Paper: The 1987 Review of Developments in Representative Government.
(1) On district boards
1. Maintaining the status quo
If district boards were empowered to take decisions on local matters as proposed in Para. 39(ii), local governments would have to be set up to implement the boards' decisions. Confrontation between the local and central governments and difference between local and central policies would very likely arise. Just imagine how confusing the administration would be if there were 19 local authorities carrying out their different decisions in respect of the same social problem in such a small area as Hong Kong. The citizens would definitely not know what course to take. The greatest 'advantage' of this change is, perhaps, to satisfy certain people's lust for power. I believe that this would only lead to the striving for local interests by various district boards, forming their own spheres of influence and failing to look after the overall interests of the territory.
It is proposed in Para. 39(iii) that District Boards be given a role in the management of district facilities. Under the existing establishment of district boards, they would not be able to take up such a role and to spare the manpower to manage local affairs. Moreover, district boards should not become local administrative authorities. It would be more appropriate for government departments to be responsible for the management of local affairs. Otherwise, it may turn out that district boards would play the management role in name only while the District Offices would actually control the administrative power. How superfluous it would then be!
In view of this, I think that the proposal in Para. 39(i) is more appropriate, i.e. to strengthen the existing advisory role of district boards. As for changes in all other aspects, the fewer the better.
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2. Composition of District Boards As regards Para. 44(ii), the number of appointed members should be gradually reduced from 1988 onwards until all DB members are elected before 1997. This is in line with the democratic spirit of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which provides that 'the legislature (of the HKSAR) shall be constituted by elections'. At the same time, the elected representatives from district boards would have a wider representation. Therefore, the ratio between appointed and elected members should be changed from 2:1 to 3:1 in 1988 so as to make progressive developments.
(II) On Urban Council
1. Recognition of the worthiness and contribution of the Urban Council It is stated in Para. 51 that the Urban Council has provided efficient municipal services to the community and played a prominent part in enriching life in Hong Kong by developing cultural, recreational and leisure facilities. I fully agree with this point.
2. Uglification of Urban Councillors
In Para. 60, information that is neither complete nor accurate has been quoted and most Urban Councillors have been criticized for not showing sufficient interest in district affairs, failing to represent adequately in the Council the views of DB members and to provide an effective link between the district and regional levels.
It is obvious that this criticism and the above-mentioned words of appreciation are not in tune and it makes people feel that the comments are inconsistent. The Green Paper deliberately singles out some DB members' dissatisfaction with and prejudice against the Urban Council. It attempts to lead citizens to support changes to the highly efficient system of the Urban Council, i.e. to cut off the existing close link already established between the Urban Council and district boards, to go against the tide of democratization and to take a retrograde step in the development of a democratic system. It proposes that all directly elected seats in the Urban Council, with such a long history in this form of election, should be withdrawn and be replaced by indirectly elected ones.
From Paragraph 51, it is obvious that the proposed changes in the structure of the Urban Council arise absolutely not from the need of the Council itself. Instead, they arise from district boards' initiative to fight for the seats and they are made to adapt to the development of representative government. If these changes are not properly handled, the highly efficient services provided by the Council to the people of Hong Kong would be affected. This would also lead to confusion and unrest.
(III) Strengthening the relationship between the Urban Council and District Boards
1. To set up under the Urban Council District Affairs Committees comprising Urban Councillors from the district and representatives from the District
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The extension of this provision to allow more district participation may be explored and recommendated.
(4) The Government may wish to meet all extra cost of setting up mini department to carry out the work of regional/district committee decision, it still appears an attempt to create a 4th tier government, it will not be acceptable in principle because it will cause more conflicts between regional/district committee and functional committee of Urban Council, it will sour the working relationship rather than improving.
(5) It is recognized that it is better to leave the advice of District Board to government departments, and advice to Urban Services Department just like any other government department.
MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to put forward my views on the relationship between the district boards and the municipal councils as discussed in Chapter III of the Green Paper: The 1987 Review of Developments in Representative Government.
(1) On district boards
1. Maintaining the status quo
If district boards were empowered to take decisions on local matters as proposed in Para. 39(ii), local governments would have to be set up to implement the boards' decisions. Confrontation between the local and central governments and difference between local and central policies would very likely arise. Just imagine how confusing the administration would be if there were 19 local authorities carrying out their different decisions in respect of the same social problem in such a small area as Hong Kong. The citizens would definitely not know what course to take. The greatest 'advantage' of this change is, perhaps, to satisfy certain people's lust for power. I believe that this would only lead to the striving for local interests by various district boards, forming their own spheres of influence and failing to look after the overall interests of the territory.
It is proposed in Para. 39(iii) that District Boards be given a role in the management of district facilities. Under the existing establishment of district boards, they would not be able to take up such a role and to spare the manpower to manage local affairs. Moreover, district boards should not become local administrative authorities. It would be more appropriate for government departments to be responsible for the management of local affairs. Otherwise, it may turn out that district boards would play the management role in name only while the District Offices would actually control the administrative power. How superfluous it would then be!
In view of this, I think that the proposal in Para. 39(i) is more appropriate, i.e. to strengthen the existing advisory role of district boards. As for changes in all other aspects, the fewer the better.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 39 of 185
71
2. Composition of District Boards As regards Para. 44(ii), the number of appointed members should be gradually reduced from 1988 onwards until all DB members are elected before 1997. This is in line with the democratic spirit of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which provides that 'the legislature (of the HKSAR) shall be constituted by elections'. At the same time, the elected representatives from district boards would have a wider representation. Therefore, the ratio between appointed and elected members should be changed from 2: 1 to 3 : 1 in 1988 so as to make progressive developments.
(II) On Urban Council
1. Recognition of the worthiness and contribution of the Urban Council It is stated in Para. 51 that the Urban Council has provided efficient municipal services to the community and played a prominent part in enriching life in Hong Kong by developing cultural, recreational and leisure facilities. I fully agree with this point.
2.
Uglification of Urban Councillors
In Para. 60, information that is neither complete nor accurate has been quoted and most Urban Councillors have been criticized for not showing sufficient interest in district affairs, failing to represent adequately in the Council the views of DB members and to provide an effective link between the district and regional levels.
It is obvious that this criticism and the above-mentioned words of appreciation are not in tune and it makes people feel that the comments are inconsistent. The Green Paper deliberately singles out some DB members' dissatisfaction with and prejudice against the Urban Council. It attempts to lead citizens to support changes to the highly efficient system of the Urban Council, i.e. to cut off the existing close link already established between the Urban Council and district boards, to go against the tide of democratization and to take a retrograde step in the development of a democratic system. It proposes that all directly elected seats in the Urban Council, with such a long history in this form of election, should be withdrawn and be replaced by indirectly elected
ones.
From Paragraph 51, it is obvious that the proposed changes in the structure of the Urban Council arise obsoutely not from the need of the Council itself. Instead, they arise from district boards' initiative to fight for the seats and they are made to adapt to the development of representative government. If these changes are not properly handled, the highly efficient services provided by the Council to the people of Hong Kong would be affected. This would also lead to confusion and unrest.
(III) Strengthening the relationship between the Urban Council and District
Boards
1. To set up under the Urban Council District Affairs Committees comprising Urban Councillors from the district and representatives from the District
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.