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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
discuss and work closely with the Housing Department in order to find an effective solution.
Relationship between the Urban Council and the District Boards
out
I fully support the organizing of the series of social functions by the Council as from last November, in order that members from the ten District Boards were invited one after another to have talks with Urban Councillors and USD staff and to pay visits to the UC facilities. These activities provide opportunities for Urban Councillors and DB members to exchange experience and views apart from strengthening their mutual understanding and relationship. I hope that such activities will be organized every year if possible so as to strengthen communication and reduce any unnecessary misunderstanding between the Council and the DBs.
Furthermore, I fully understand that the Council has to attend to territory-wide needs in the provision of various recreational facilities. Nevertheless, I would like to ask the Council to take, as far as possible, the actual needs of each district and the valuable opinions of the DBs into consideration.
With these remarks, I support the motion.
(Mr. Peter C. K. CHAN arrived at 3.53 p.m.)
(The Chairman declared a recess at 3.55 p.m. and the meeting resumed at 4.07 p.m.)
MR. STEPHEN HO FEI-CHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, this is the first time I attend the Annual Debate. I wish to take this opportunity to express my views on building management and hawker problems.
My colleagues may recall that two major fires broke out in Sun Hing Building, 607 Nathan Road, Mong Kok during October and November last year. A senior fireman was killed in the latter incident. This inspires the importance of good building management. If we want to bring about and maintain an acceptable standard of living condition, it requires joint efforts by various Government Departments and Municipal Councils. To name a few, enforcement actions are required to maintain a satisfactory sanitary condition, to remove illegal extensions, alterations and obstructions for the sake of building safety and security, to provide adequate fire fighting facilities, to eliminate the operation of vice establishments which are always the root causes for crimes. I sincerely hope that the Government and the occupiers would work together towards a common goal of achieving and maintaining effective building management. I also hope that Departments concerned would take enforcement action efficiently once they have received complaints from various sources of the public.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
267
Turning to the hawker problems, I must admit that it is a very complicated matter. Again, having been a Member of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee for 9 months, my initial reaction is that effective control of hawkers depends very much upon complementary actions taken by other Government Departments as well. Without it, there will be no satisfactory solution even if the Council has taken the necessary steps to work out guided principles to solve the problems. My colleagues in the Mong Kok District Board have expressed their concerns from time to time over the slow progress on arriving at some effective control measures against over-night cooked food hawkers. I am aware of the fact that the relevant working groups formed under the Council are now able to consider more actively the ways and means of tackling the problem. Perhaps, it is time for the Council to decide on deploying members of the GDT to undertake 'C' shift duties in order to eliminate over-night hawkers which have been the subject of criticism for a long time. In addition, may I urge the Government to do their best in providing the necessary support e.g. police coverage, in solving the problem in order to bring about improvements, which are long overdue, in this area.
Apart from enforcement action, it is worthwhile to encourage the street traders to beautify their stalls with a view to promoting their awareness of the importance of cleanliness and the prevention of environmental problems.
With these remarks, I support the motion.
MR. AMBROSE CHEUNG WING-SUM (in English):--Mr. Chairman, as a first-time participant in this Annual Conventional Debate Meeting, I have initially thought that my maiden speech here today should be easy. But I am wrong. It turns out to be more difficult than I expected. With over 30 of my learned Council colleagues who have spoken before me and have given very interesting, stimulating and imaginative comments and thoughts, it is difficult, if not impossible, to speak on any topic without being repetitive. I have therefore decided to be very brief and confine myself to only one topic, that is, the system of having direct representatives from the District Boards in the Council.
Having participated in such capacity in the Council for the past nine months, I am convinced that such a system of having direct representatives from the District Boards in the Council is a balanced and well-considered step forward in developing a representative government. This system has formalized the channel of communication and relationship between the Council, the Department and the District Boards, fostered better understanding and co-operation between them and thereby enabling problems besetting them to be more effectively resolved. I therefore appeal to you that this system is worthy of your support.
To illustrate, 3 major problem areas in my district, Sham Shui Po, within the last 4 months, I stressed 'last 4 months', have either been resolved or substantial progress has been achieved, bearing in mind that these problems have been with us for over a decade, in fact, since early 1980's. I am sure that equal, if not
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Page 141
Page 141 of 166
Page 140 of 166
266
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
discuss and work closely with the Housing Department in order to find an effective solution.
Relationship between the Urban Council and the District Boards
out
I fully support the organizing of the series of social functions by the Council as from last November, in order that members from the ten District Boards were invited one after another to have talks with Urban Councillors and USD staff and to pay visits to the UC facilities. These activities provide opportunities for Urban Councillors and DB members to exchange experience and views apart from strengthening their mutual understanding and relationship. I hope that such activities will be organized every year if possible so as to strengthen communication and reduce any unnecessary misunderstanding between the
Council and the DBs.
Furthermore, I fully understand that the Council has to attend to territory-wide needs in the provision of various recreational facilities. Nevertheless, I would like to ask the Council to take, as far as possible, the actual needs of each district and the valuable opinions of the DBs into consideration.
With these remarks, I support the motion.
(Mr. Peter C. K. CHAN arrived at 3.53 p.m.)
(The Chairman declared a recess at 3.55 p.m. and the meeting resumed at 4.07 p.m.)
MR. STEPHEN HO FEI-CHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, this is the first time I attend the Annual Debate. I wish to take this opportunity to express my views on building management and hawker problems.
My colleagues may recall that two major fires broke out in Sun Hing Building, 607 Nathan Road, Mong Kok during October and November last year. A senior fireman was killed in the latter incident. This inspires the importance of good building management. If we want to bring about and maintain an acceptable standard of living condition, it requires joint efforts by various Government Departments and Municipal Councils. To name a few, enforcement actions are required to maintain a satisfactory sanitary condition, to remove illegal extensions, alterations and obstructions for the sake of building safety and security, to provide adequate fire fighting facilities, to eliminate the operation of vice establishments which are always the root causes for crimes. I sincerely hope that the Government and the occupiers would work together towards a common goal of achieving and maintaining effective building management. I also hope that Departments concerned would take enforcement action efficiently once they have received complaints from various source of the public.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
267
Turning to the hawker problems, I must admit that it is a very complicated matter. Again, having been a Member of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee for 9 months, my initial reaction is that effective control of hawkers depends very much upon complementary actions taken by other Government Departments as well. Without it, there will be no satisfactory solution even if the Council has taken the necessary steps to work out guided principles to solve the problems. My colleagues in the Mong Kok District Board have expressed their concerns from time to time over the slow progress on arriving at some effective control measures against over-night cooked food hawkers. I am aware of the fact that the relevant working groups formed under the Council are now able to consider more actively the ways and means of tackling the problem. Perhaps, it is time for the Council to decide on deploying members of the GDT to undertake 'C' shift duties in order to eliminate over-night hawkers which have been the subject of criticism for a long time. In addition, may I urge the Government to do their best in providing the necessary support e.g. police coverage, in solving the problem in order to bring about improvements, which are long overdue, in this area.
Apart from enforcement action, it is worthwhile to encourage the street traders to beautify their stalls with a view to promoting their awareness of the importance of cleanliness and the prevention of environmental problems.
With these remarks, I support the motion.
MR. AMBROSE CHEUNG WING-SUM (in English):--Mr. Chairman, as a first time participant in this Annual Conventional Debate Meeting, I have initially thought that my maiden speech here today should be easy. But I am wrong. It turns out to be more difficult than I expected. With over 30 of my learned Council colleagues who have spoken before me and have given very interesting, stimulating and imaginative comments and thoughts, it is difficult, if not impossible, to speak on any topic without being repetitive. I have therefore decided to be very brief and confine myself to only one topic, that is, the system of having direct representatives from the District Boards in the Council.
Having participated in such capacity in the Council for the past nine months, I am convinced that such system of having direct representatives from the District Boards in the Council is a balanced and well considered step forward in developing a representative government. This system has formalized the channel of communication and relationship between the Council, the Department and the District Boards, fostered better understanding and co-operation between them and thereby enabling problems besetting them to be more effectively resolved. I therefore appeal to you that this system is worthy of your support.
To illustrate, 3 major problem areas in my district, Sham Shui Po, within the last 4 months, I stressed 'last 4 months', have either been resolved or substantial progress has been achieved, bearing in mind that these problems have been with us for over a decade, in fact, since early 1980's. I am sure that equal, if not
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