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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
To reconsider the priority of capital works programmes. Expenditures must be kept within the limits of income.
To expedite the privatization of certain municipal services in order to alleviate subsidies by the Council.
Expenditure in the management of unlicensed hawkers is comparatively high. The Central Government should bear half of the costs.
We should cease holding joint functions with the Regional Council. At present, we have to pay two-thirds of the expenses on joint functions while the Regional Council has to pay only one-third. All future expenses should be equally borne by the two Councils.
The construction and maintenance costs of major capital works should be borne by the Central Government.
(B) Increase in revenue
Our main sources of revenue come from the rates and other fees and charges. I think that we should not increase the rates directly so as not to burden the citizens any further.
1.
2.
3.
The full amount of rates should be allocated to the Urban Council. At present, the rates percentage charges is 6%, of which 3.5% goes to the Council while 2.5% goes to the Central Government. Adjustment should be made so that 5% goes to the Council and 1% to the Central Government. An alternative is that the full amount be allocated to the Council.
As the Council is the authority for the administration of liquor licensing, all duties on liquors should be allocated to the Urban Council.
Donations to the Council for financing its facilities and activities should be accepted and be made tax free. Mr. Chairman, I hope that you can discuss this issue with the Central Government without delay, and reach an agreement and reap fruitful results as soon as possible so that we may get out of the red in our budget next year, without affecting our established reputation for providing quality services in the minds of the citizens.
V. Overall review of the general situation
Mr. Chairman, it is most regrettable that owing to the dissolution of the Municipal Services Branch and in the absence of overall representativeness on the part of the Council in handling external matters, the work of the three sections that were formerly under the Branch, i.e. Food Hygiene Section, Pest Control Section and Health Education Section, has to be taken up by the Department of Health that has neither the experience nor the expertise in municipal services. It is ridiculous for laymen to lead experts and to have control over the U.S.D. staff.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Since ten representative members from District Boards joined the Council, the equilibrium between elected and appointed members has changed. These ten representatives are like ten little dragons that have been in dormant state, waiting for the opportunity to fly up to the sky. Appointed members have successfully monopolized both seats for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Urban Council through political means at the outset, thus breaking the traditional agreement on balanced accountability. This is a retrograde move in the course of the development of a democratic political system. In order to achieve the democratization of the political system at district level, I think that as from 1991 directly elected seats should gradually increase in all boards and committees at district level until 1995 when all of them should be directly elected.
1989 is the year in which labour disputes arose one after another in Hong Kong. The Civil Service Branch and Finance Branch should make joint efforts to improve the terms of employment for civil servants and to reduce as far as possible the emergence of labour dispute in government departments. In the past, good performance in various aspects of development in Hong Kong largely depends on the highly efficient services provided by the civil service. If civil servants have no confidence in the Government and spend too much time and energy in fighting for their justifiable rights or interests, normal services and operation will be affected as a result.
The proposed departmentalization once led to dissatisfaction among staff of the Municipal Services Grades. Departmental officers usually work under only one department throughout the civil service in Hong Kong. But there are two departments that provide municipal services. Departmentalization of the staff will surely affect their rights of and opportunity for promotion and transfer, while the existing practice gives them equal treatment in the two departments. So I hope that reasonable arrangements for their promotion and transfer will be made in the departmentalization exercise.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to commend and thank the staff of the Urban Services Department, particularly those working in the libraries, for their outstanding performance in the past year.
With these remarks, I support your motion.
(Mr. CHOW Wai-keung left the meeting at 3.42 p.m.)
MR. PAO PING-WING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman,
Financial situation and capital works programmes of the Urban Council According to the latest estimates, by the end of this financial year, the Council will have a deficit of 83 million dollars which will rise to 449 million dollars in the year 1990-91. Despite that funds are still available to meet the needs, both the Council and the Department have been working hard to cut down expenses,
Page 114 of 166
214
...
Page 114 of 166
215
Page 114 of 166
214
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
To reconsider the priority of capital works programmes. Expenditures must be kept within the limits of income.
To expedite the privatization of certain municipal services in order to alleviate subsidies by the Council.
Expenditure in the management of unlicensed hawkers is comparatively high. The Central Government should bear half of
the costs.
We should cease holding joint functions with the Regional Council. At present, we have to pay two-thirds of the expenses on joint functions while the Regional Council has to pay only one-third. All future expenses should be equally borne by the two Councils.
The construction and maintenance costs of major capital works should be borne by the Central Government.
(B) Increase in revenue
Our main sources of revenue come from the rates and other fees and charges. I think that we should not increase the rates directly so as not to burden the citizens any further.
1.
2.
3.
The full amount of rates should be allocated to the Urban Council. At present, the rates percentage charges is 6%, of which 3.5% goes to the Council while 2.5% goes to the Central Government. Adjustment should be made so that 5% goes to the Council and 1% to the Central Government. An alternative is that the full amount be allocated to the Council.
As the Council is the authority for the administration of liquor licensing, all duties on liquors should be allocated to the Urban Council.
Donations to the Council for financing its facilities and activities should be accepted and be made tax free. Mr. Chairman, I hope that you can discuss this issue with the Central Government without delay, and reach an agreement and reap fruitful results as soon as possible so that we may get out of the red in our budget next year, without affecting our established reputation for providing quality services in the minds of the citizens.
V. Overall review of the general situation
Mr. Chairman, it is most regrettable that owing to the dissolution of the Municipal Services Branch and in the absence of overall representativeness on the part of the Council in handling external matters, the work of the three sections that were formerly under the Branch, i.e. Food Hygiene Section, Pest Control Section and Health Education Section, has to be taken up by the Department of Health that has neither the experience nor the expertise in municipal services. It is ridiculous for laymen to lead experts and to have control over the U.S.D. staff.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 114 of 166
215
Since ten representative members from District Boards joined the Council, the equilibrium between elected and appointed members has changed. These ten representatives are like ten little dragons that have been in dormant state, waiting for the opportunity to fly up to the sky. Appointed members have successfully monopolized both seats for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Urban Council through political means at the outset, thus breaking the traditional agreement on balanced accountability. This is a retrograde move in the course of the development of a democratic political system. In order to achieve the democratization of the political system at district level, I think that as from 1991 directly elected seats should gradually increase in all boards and committees at district level until 1995 when all of them should be directly elected.
1989 is the year in which labour disputes arose one after another in Hong Kong. The Civil Service Branch and Finance Branch should make joint efforts to improve the terms of employment for civil servants and to reduce as far as possible the emergence of labour dispute in government departments. In the past, good performance in various aspects of development in Hong Kong largely depends on the highly efficient services provided by the civil service. If civil servants have no confidence in the Government and spend too much time and energy in fighting for their justifiable rights or interests, normal services and operation will be affected as a result.
The proposed departmentalization once led to dissatisfaction among staff of the Municipal Services Grades. Departmental officers usually work under only one department throughout the civil service in Hong Kong. But there are two departments that provide municipal services. Departmentali- zation of the staff will surely affect their rights of and opportunity for promotion and transfer, while the existing practice gives them equal treatment in the two departments. So I hope that reasonable arrangements for their promotion and transfer will be made in the departmentalization exercise.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to commend and thank the staff of the Urban Services Department, particularly those working in the libraries, for their outstanding performance in the past year.
With these remarks, I support your motion.
(Mr. CHow Wai-keung left the meeting at 3.42 p.m.)
MR. PAO PING-WING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman,
Financial situation and capital works programmes of the Urban Council According to the latest estimates, by the end of this financial year, the Council will have a deficit of 83 million dollars which will rise to 449 million dollars in the year 1990-91. Despite that funds are still available to meet the needs, both the Council and the Department have been working hard to cut down expenses,
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