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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
—Option (iii)(a) is not feasible. To replace 'direct elections' with 'indirect elections' is a retrograde step in the development of representative government and therefore undesirable. It is already a problem for DB representatives to sit on all Committees (as they have also to attend DB meetings, consult the District Board, report to the District Board and discuss the problems brought up at UC meetings). If they cannot attend all UC meetings, then they would not be able to fully represent the district in forwarding or reflecting the views to the Urban Council. Moreover, why is it that Urban Councillors cannot reflect people's views through attending DB meetings? On the contrary, why is it possible for DB members to reflect views through their attendance at UC meetings? I really do not understand what the logic and rationale are:
--If option (iii)(b) is implemented, according to the above-mentioned reasons, it is very likely that DB Chairmen will be cast the vote of non-confidence (because he is in the middle and is thus subject to pressure from both above and below). I think that DB Chairmen would not opt for this rashly.
Option (i) and (ii) concerning the 'increase in the size of the Urban Council' as set out in para. 67 are worth considering. But I prefer option (ii).
In para. 71, only option (i) is a practical proposal. Before careful consideration and study are made and before consulting the general public, we should not take impractical action and make changes for the sake of changing (in view of the history and effectiveness of the machinery that has worked for the overall interest of the public).
Finally, I would like to express my views on the urban District Boards. District Boards are statutory bodies with an advisory role. District Boards should therefore appoint representatives to sit on the various advisory boards/committees of the government, e.g., the Transport Advisory Committee, the Consumer Council, and the Environmental Pollution Advisory Committee, etc. There are over 300 advisory committees for District Boards to choose. They may choose a number of advisory committees to sit on so as to reflect the views on various problems to the committee concerned.
The Urban Council is a body with specific functions and executive powers, and it has to take into account the overall interest of Hong Kong and Kowloon when making decisions. It is impossible for the Urban Council to meet all the selfish demands of the districts without striking a balance on the overall interest. The Urban Council should therefore not allow the participation of representatives who only strive for district interest.
As the Government wants to maintain the operation of the 3-tier system, the terms of reference of the Urban Council and the District Boards should be clearly defined, each taking care of its own business and performing its own functions. However, there should be more co-operation and co-ordination among the three tiers in order to make further contribution to the community.
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Hong Kong is a small place, and there is not much difference between districts. If confusion arises in the administration, and the resources are not well utilized, it would indeed lead to undesirable consequences.
Sir, I support the motion.
(The Chairman declared a recess at 4.00 p.m. and the meeting resumed at 4.10 p.m.)
MR. FAN KAM-PING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the Urban Council has a history of over a hundred years in serving local citizens; paragraph 51, Chapter III of the Green Paper also affirms the Council's contribution in this respect. It says: 'In recent years, the Urban Council has played a key role in developing a network of efficient municipal services to create a cleaner, healthier, and more attractive city environment. It has also played a prominent part in developing cultural, recreational, and leisure facilities.'
It is mentioned in paragraph 58, Chapter III that there is a need to improve the relationship between District Boards and the Urban Council, while it is also noted in paragraph 60 that communication between them has to be strengthened. So, a number of programmes designed to change the Urban Council have been provided for the citizens' choice.
Ever since the District Boards were established, I have been a DB member for all three terms. Having actively participated in the work of District Boards, committees, sub-committees, and working parties, I manage to have some knowledge of the conditions and psychological state of District Boards. From my observation, of the opinions criticizing the so-called poor relationship and inadequate communication between the Urban Council and District Boards or the Urban Councillors' failure to reflect adequately the views of District Boards/DB members, many are not made in the light of facts or arise from 'facts'. In fact, an overwhelming majority of the District Board members are men of good sense; most of them will not insist on putting the interests of individual districts before the overall interest. For instance, it is always mentioned that District Board members of each district strive to have a civic center built in their own districts without paying regard to the circumstances, thus resulting in 'white elephants'. Actually, such a phenomenon is not very common. In reflecting the views of District Boards and the districts, both elected and appointed Urban Councillors have been sparing no effort in fighting for interests for various districts in accordance with their views. For examples, Urban Councillors of the Mong Kok District have continually pressed the Urban Council to construct swimming pools; Councillors of the Central and Western District have continually pressed the Council to provide additional passive recreational facilities in the Western District; Councillors of the Sham Shui Po District have continually raised the request of constructing a market in Mei Foo Sun Chuen. These examples, which are recorded in the minutes, obviously show that the Urban Councillors did reflect to the Council the views of the districts and District Boards.
Page 44 of 185
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
—-Option (iii)(a) is not feasible. To replace 'direct elections' with 'indirect elections' is a retrograde step in the development of representative govern- ment and therefore undesirable. It is already a problem for DB repre- sentatives to sit on all Committees (as they have also to attend DB meetings, consult the District Board, report to the District Board and discuss the problems brought up at UC meetings). If they cannot attend all UC meetings, then they would not be able to fully represent the district in forwarding or reflecting the views to the Urban Council. Moreover, why is it that Urban Councillors cannot reflect people's views through attending DB meetings? On the contrary, why is it possible for DB members to reflect views through their attendance at UC meetings? I really do not understand what the logic and rationale are:
--If option (iii)(b) is implemented, according to the above-mentioned reasons, it is very likely that DB Chairmen will be cast the vote of non-confidence (because he is in the middle and is thus subject to pressure from both above and below). I think that DB Chairmen would not opt this rashly.
Option (i) and (ii) concerning the 'increase in the size of the Urban Council' as set out in para. 67 are worth considering. But I prefer option (ii).
In para. 71, only option (i) is a practical proposal. Before careful consider- ation and study are made and before consulting the general public, we should not take impractical action and make changes for the sake of changing (in view of the history and effectiveness of the machinery that has worked for the overall insterest of the public).
Finally, I would like to express my views on the urban District Boards. District Boards are statutory bodies with an advisory role. District Boards should therefore appoint representatives to sit on the various advisory boards/ committees of the government, e.g. the Transport Advisory Committee, the Consumer Council and the Environmental Pollution Advisory Committee etc. There are over 300 advisory committees for District Boards to choose. They may choose a number of advisory committees to sit on so as to reflect the views on various problems to the committee concerned.
The Urban Council is a body with specific functions and executive powers and it has to take into account the overall interest of Hong Kong and Kowloon when making decisions. It is impossible for the Urban Council to meet all the selfish demands of the districts without striking a balance on the overall interest. The Urban Council should therefore not allow the participation of repre- sentatives who only strive for district interest.
As the Government wants to maintain the operation of the 3-tier system, the terms of reference of the Urban Council and the District Boards should be clearly defined, each taking care of its own business and performing its own functions. However, there should be more co-operation and co-ordination among the three tiers in order to make further contribution to the community.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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81
Hong Kong is a small place and there is not much difference between districts. If confusion arises in the administration and the resources are not well utilized, it would indeed lead to undesirable consequences.
Sir, I support the motion.
(The Chairman declared a recess at 4.00 p.m. and the meeting resumed at 4.10 p.m.)
MR. FAN KAM-PING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, the Urban Council has a history of over a hundred years in serving local citizens, paragraph 51, Chapter III of the Green Paper also affirms the Council's contribution in this respect. It says: 'In recent years the Urban Council has played a key role in developing a network of efficient municipal services to create a cleaner, healthier and more attactive city environment. It has also played a prominent part in developing cultural, recreational and leisure facilities.'
It is mentioned in paragraph 58, Chapter III that there is a need to improve the relationship between District Boards and the Urban Council, while it is also noted in paragraph 60 that communication between them has to be strengthened. So a number of programmes designed to change the Urban Council has been provided for the citizens' choice.
Ever since the District Boards were established, I have been a DB member for all the three terms. Having actively participated in the work of District Boards, committees, sub-committees and working parties, I manage to have some knowledge of the conditions and psychological state of District Boards. From my observation, of the opinions criticizing the so-called poor relationship and inadequate communication between the Urban Council and District Boards or the Urban Councillors' failure to reflect adequately the views of District Boards/DB members, many are not made in the light of facts or arise from 'facts'. In fact, an overwhelming majority of the District Board members are men of good sense, most of them will not insist on putting the interests of individual district before the overall interest. For instance, it is always mentioned that District Board members of each district strive to have a civic center built in their own districts without paying regards to the circumstance, thus resulting in 'white elephants'. Actually, such phenomenon is not very common. In reflecting the views of District Boards and the districts, both elected and appointed Urban Councillors have been sparing no effort in fighting for interests for various districts in accordance with their views. For examples, Urban Councillors of the Mong Kok District have continually pressed the Urban Council to construct swimming pools; Councillors of the Central and Western District have continually pressed the Council to provide additional passive recreational facilities in the Western District; Councillors of the Sham Shui Po District have continually raised the request of constructing a market in Mei Foo Sun Chuen. These examples, which are recorded in the minutes, obviously show that the Urban Councillors did reflect to the Council the views of the districts and District Boards.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.