1989 — Page 106

JU VI IUU-

198

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

could damage the plant. So could any half-hearted attandance or absence of professional gardeners. This Council, when facing the challenges of the 90s, will need to exercise prudence and sound financial management to avoid any over-commitment but we must not upset our fine tradition of providing quality services, facilities, programmes and projects for the people of Hong Kong. This is no easy task. The conventional two-pronged approach of 'exploring more funding sources and exercising greater economy' (H) is often easier said than done.

How to strike a fine balance in our capital accounting requires capital input of another kind. This is the human capital. Our Councillors and our departmental staff have to be the responsible gardener to see the Bauhinia not over-watered nor under-nourished. Together we have to see the flower to grow in the right place and bloom in the right time.

Indeed, our Councillors are from different walks of life. With their wealth of experience and knowledge, they can make significant contributions, with their innovative, stimulating and constructive suggestions, they can forward useful plans to move the city towards a better environment. Of course, our departmental staff of varied streams and disciplines are always here to give their professional advice and devoted service to see our plans come to fruition, to see our projects implemented, to see our programmes and services delivered to the satisfaction of our community.

Against this background, I would like my fellow-councillors to join me to compliment to the Director of Urban Services and his fellow workers for their unfailing efforts in keeping our city clean and green and in making our cultural and recreational life enriching and healthy for the past decade. And I am confident they will continue to do so in the future.

Now, may I go back to the flower. Last month, I was pleased to learn from the newspaper that the 11-member judging panel on the flag and emblem for the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), would recommend to the Basic Law Drafting Committee the popular Bauhinia to be the symbol representing the territory after 1997. Well, to see the Bauhinia to bloom requires favourable environment and proper nurturing. This gardening formula has been working well for the Urban Council since 1883. I am confident our municipal services will continue to play an essential role in the 90s and well into the 21st century. And, I trust our municipal role will be properly recognized by our Basic Law Drafters and written into the Basic Law.

Indeed, the Bauhinia makes me feel poetic. To borrow a few lines from Robert HERRICK of the 17th Century, I will end my debate address on an optimistic note with the following:

'Gather ye rosebuds while you may, Old time is still a-flying,

And this same flower that smiles today, Tomorrow will be blooming.'

Sir, I am pleased to second the motion.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

199

MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am almost overwhelmed by the words added by the Vice-Chairman. I fully endorse his sentiments. But as stated by experts, the Bauhinia blooms quickly and fades quickly. Nevertheless, I support him because I know Hong Kong is very fruitful ground to plant the Bauhinia flower and it is something to which the Urban Council is committed and I fully endorse what our Vice-Chairman has said.

Right of Abode

I am very disappointed that the British Government proposes to give the right of abode in Britain to only 225 000 Hong Kong British subjects over the next 8 years. Bearing in mind the British Government's moral responsibility to all 3.25 million Hong Kong British subjects, I believe the minimum figure to start off with should have been 10% or 325 000.

We shall now have to await the full details of the British Government's proposals, so that other countries such as Canada, the United States and Australia, could be encouraged to set up similar programmes as the British package.

Hopefully the British package would help to decelerate the high rate of emigration of key Hongkongers over the next few years.

It is a matter of great regret that China views this package as a violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The purpose is to rebuild confidence and to ensure that Hong Kong continues to prosper as a HKSAR after 1997. The Governor should emphasise this point when he goes to Beijing tomorrow.

Basic Law Draft

It is a very great pity that the Basic Law Drafting Committee, whose member- ship from China outnumber the Hong Kong members, has refused to recognize that the Omelco concensus model for the political structure as well as the 4:4:2 model of the Group of 89 have strong public support in Hong Kong,

The current proposal of the Basic Law Drafting Committee that there should be no more that 30% of the Legislature directly elected in 1997, and that there should be no change for 10 years thereafter, is ultra-conservative. I support the ongoing efforts of the Group of 89 to persuade the Basic Law drafters to review their ultra-conservative proposal and bring it more in line with the views and aspirations of Hong Kong's nearly 6 million population.

There is strong public support for the proposal that in 1991 there should be 20 directly elected Legislature Council members.

I hope His Excellency the Governor on his visit tomorrow to Beijing, will fully reflect these views to the Chinese Government.

Compulsory Provident Fund Scheme

For several years already I have been advocating that Hong Kong should move in the direction of a compulsory form of Provident Fund system for all workers