Page 137 of 166
260
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
It is due to the inadequate number of such boats available that 280 pigs are transported by lorries instead in 6-7 loads to Kennedy Town Abattoir every day.
As a result, an odour nuisance is created by these pigs during their transportation. Wherever they travel, pedestrians have to hold their noses. Worse still, the odour lingers. The most seriously affected place is Western District where the traffic is congested. Previously, people were just concerned about the use of the Cross Harbour Tunnel by the pig-carrying lorries, but I think that the Western District is most seriously affected.
I therefore have the following suggestions:
(1) meat merchants convey their livestock by means of enclosed-type vehicles equipped with an air exhaustion system;
(2) restrict the use of busy streets by these lorries, especially during the hours when people go to and leave work; and
(3) enhance boat services and let all meat merchants be confined to using boats to deliver their livestock to the abattoir pier.
(II) With regard to the problem with street litter bins, it is usually found that bins in busy districts are always 'full'. Sometimes it is so serious that refuse spills out and scatters around the bins. This is not only unsightly but also impairs the image of the Council. It is especially so in older districts.
I therefore hope that the Department will consider placing more bins at those sites or replacing them with larger bins and assigning more staff to do the clearing. Consideration might also be given to strengthening the service of the night refuse clearing fleet so as to ensure the cleanliness of the environment.
Besides, publicity on keeping Hong Kong clean should be enhanced so as to educate the public on the importance of a clean environment.
Moreover, the Department should be discreet in selecting proper locations for these bins. It is because, as far as I know, a lot of litter bins are placed by the side of bus stops. Whenever they are full, the queues waiting there would have to hold their noses.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion. Thank you.
MISS CHRISTINA TING YUK-CHEE (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, in his policy address this year, the Governor announced that under the theme of 'Building for The Future', the Government would spend $127 billion on various major infrastructural projects. Such great foresight and enterprising attitude is indeed most heartening and shows that the Government has great confidence in the future of Hong Kong. Although the right of abode package recently announced is somewhat disappointing, I still hope that the people of Hong Kong will take an optimistic view of the future and continue to regard Hong Kong as their home and build for its future with joint efforts.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
261
Hong Kong is a dynamic international city, and every citizen is contributing towards its prosperity. However, the quick tempo of life is really suffocating. Here the Urban Council plays a positive role by providing us with a large variety of cultural, entertainment, recreational, and sports facilities. We have parks, complexes, civic centres, museums, libraries, and we also provide cleansing services and improve our hygienic conditions. In this way, the life of the people in Hong Kong has improved in different aspects.
I have been an Urban Councillor for nine months. During this period, I have witnessed the accomplishment of numerous tasks and the formulation of many policies by the Urban Council. The Council has endorsed a budget of $3.4 billion for this year in order to fund the necessary municipal services with a view to upgrading the quality of life of the citizens. I understand that the work of the Council is to look after the interests of all the people in the territory, and it is impossible for it to fully satisfy or understand the needs of every district. However, as the representative of the Eastern District Board, I would like to take this opportunity today to express some of my views on the work of the Urban Council and tell of what the Eastern District expects of the Council. It is hoped that the Council will respond to these views and expectations in the future.
Entertainment programmes
The Urban Council provides free public entertainment programmes regularly in various districts for the public. To make these programmes more diverse so that the public may enjoy a greater variety of programmes, I hope the Council will identify more burgeoning performing groups with good potential, like the Arts Associations and children's choirs of various districts, and offer them more opportunities to perform. If the Council can consult the DB of the district concerned before presenting these programmes, it will get better results with less effort. Finally, if any UC civic centres have not been hired out, I suggest that these free entertainment programmes be held in such indoor venues. In that case, the public could enjoy these programmes in a better environment, and the utilization rate of UC civic centres could also be increased.
Cultural programmes
Each year, the Cultural Presentations Office of the Urban Council organizes numerous programmes performed by local and overseas artists. I hope these programmes will suit both the refined and the popular tastes to avoid public criticism that these programmes are presented for the enjoyment of only a handful few. Moreover, for those programmes which are suitable for old people and children, the Council should offer them tickets at concessionary rates. I know that at present, the Council grants concessions to senior citizens attending cultural programmes, but concession tickets are available only seven days before the presentations. I hope the Council will remove this time limit to make the concessionary scheme for the elderly more comprehensive. As for the children's
Page 137 of 166
Page 137 of 166
260
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
It is due to the inadequate number of such boats available that 280 pigs are transported by lorries instead in 6-7 loads to Kennedy Town Abattoir everyday.
As a result, an odour nuisance is created by these pigs during their transportation. Wherever they travel, pedestrians have to hold their noses. Worse still, the odour lingers. The most seriously affected place is Western District where the traffic is congested. Previously, people were just concerned about the use of the Cross Harbour Tunnel by the pig carrying lorries but I think that the Western District is most seriously affected.
I therefore have the following suggestions:
(1) meat merchants convey their livestock by means of enclosed-type
vehicles equipped with air exhaustion system;
(2) restrict the use of busy streets by these lorries, especially during the
hours when people go to and leave work; and
(3) enhance boat services and let all meat merchants be confined to use
boats to deliver their livestock to the abattoir pier.
(II) With regard to the problem with street litter bins, it is usually found that bins in busy districts are always 'full'. Sometimes it is so serious that refuse spill out and scatter around the bins. This is not only unsightly, but also impairs the image of the Council. It is especially so in older districts.
I therefore hope that the Department will consider placing more bins at those sites or replace them with larger bins and assign more staff to do the clearing. Consideration might also be given to strengthening the service of the night refuse clearing fleet so as to ensure cleanliness of the environment.
Besides, publicity on keeping Hong Kong clean should be enhanced so as to educate the public of the importance of a clean environment.
Moreover, the Department should be discreet in selecting proper locations for these bins. It is because as far as I know, a lot of litter bins are placed by the side of bus stops. Whenever they are full, the queues waiting there would have to hold their noses.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion. Thank you.
MISS CHRISTINA TING YUK-CHEE (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, in his policy address this year, the Governor announced that under the theme of 'Building for The Future', the Government would spend $127 billion on various major infrastructural projects. Such great foresight and enterprising attitude is indeed most heartening and shows that the Government has great confidence in the future of Hong Kong. Although the right of abode package recently announced is somewhat disappointing, I still hope that the people of Hong Kong will take an optimistic view of the future and continue to regard Hong Kong as their home and build for its future with joint efforts.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
261
Hong Kong is a dynamic international city, and every citizen is contributing towards its prosperity. However, the quick tempo of life is really suffocating. Here the Urban Council plays a positive role by providing us with a large variety of cultural, entertainment, recreational and sports facilities. We have parks, complexes, civic centres, museums, libraries and we also provide cleansing services and improve our hygienic condition. In this way, the life of the people in Hong Kong has improved in different aspects.
I have been an Urban Councillor for nine months. During this period, I have witnessed the accomplishment of numerous tasks and formulation of many policies by the Urban Council. The Council has endorsed a budget of $3.4 billion for this year in order to fund the necessary municipal services with a view to upgrading the quality of life of the citizens. I understand that the work of the Council is to look after the interests of all the people in the territory and it is impossible for it to fully satisfy or understand the needs of every district. However, as the representative of the Eastern District Board, I would like to take this opportunity today to express some of my views on the work of the Urban Council and tell of what the Eastern District expects of the Council. It is hoped that the Council will respond to these views and expectations in the
future.
Entertainment programmes
The Urban Council provides free public entertainment programmes regularly in various districts for the public. To make these programmes more diverse so that the public may enjoy a greater variety of programmes, I hope the Council will identify more burgeoning performing groups with good potential, like the Arts Associations and children's choirs of various districts, and offer them more opportunities to perform. If the Council can consult the DB of the district concerned before presenting these programmes, it will get better result with less effort. Finally, if any UC civic centres have not been hired out, I suggest that these free entertainment programmes be held in such indoor venues. In that case, the public could enjoy these programmes in a better environment and the utilization rate of UC civic centres could also be increased.
Cultural programmes
Each year, the Cultural Presentations Office of the Urban Council organizes numerous programmes performed by local and overseas artists. I hope these programmes will suit both the refined and the popular tastes to avoid the public criticism that these programmes are presented for the enjoyment of only a handful few. Moreover, for those programmes which are suitable for old people and children, the Council should offer them tickets at concessionary rates. I know that at present the Council grants concession to senior citizens attending cultural programmes but concession tickets are available only seven days before the presentations. I hope the Council will remove this time limit to make the concessionary scheme for the elderly more comprehensive. As for the children's
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