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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, may I call the meeting to order.

## MINUTES

The minutes of meeting held on 12 and 14 January 1993, were confirmed.

## PAPER

The following paper was laid on the table:-

(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of January 1993.

## RESUMPTION OF ANNUAL CONVENTIONAL DEBATE

1. Resumption of debate on the following motion moved by the Chairman, Urban Council, at the meeting of the Council held on 12 January 1993:-- "THAT this Council endorse the Statement of Aims for 1993/94.'

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and gentlemen, we have two days of interesting and fruitful debate in January. I am now replying to the motion moved by me to approve the Council's Statement of Aims for 1993/94.

I wish to thank you all for your active participation and your well thought-out speeches. Your words of wisdom, your useful ideas and constructive suggestions, have certainly given us a lot of food for thought for formulation of our policies, strategies and priorities.

All members spoke with eloquence and conviction. I must commend some members for the brevity and clarity of their speeches. A few members have made the debate colourful and lively by means of their good imagination and sense of humour. The time and effort you have spent in making this debate a success is greatly appreciated. Some Chairmen of respective Select Committees or Working Groups reported in great details about their achievements during the past year: some eighteen members spoke on the political reforms as proposed by Governor Patten. Then there were others who addressed on some specific topics concerning our Council's work. All members took part in a conscientious and knowledgeable manner and succeeded in producing a very high quality reviews of the issues handled.

The puzzle presented by Mr. Ambrose CHEUNG made us pondered for a while what was the contest we had never organized before. He then told us it was the Sino-British wrestling over the constitutional proposals. This is certainly an unhealthy contest which none of us in Hong Kong would like to watch ever again, let alone organizing.

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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All of us heard about the Aesop's fables. Mr. Lo King-man, our Vice-Chairman, and Mr. Ronald POON have successfully got their points across through creating their own fables. We all know that Mr. Lo is famous in the direction and production of many inhouse operas and stage-shows. We have since discovered that apart from architecture, Mr. Ronald Poon is also gifted in story-writing, especially in English. This shows that talents in the Council are never lacking.

In view of the wide variety of topics covered, both old and new, it is clearly impossible for me to respond to them all. For those matters falling outside the jurisdiction of this Council, they will be referred to Government for their careful consideration. For matters concerning individual projects and district-based problems, they will be followed up by the respective select committees in conjunction with our Department. I wish to devote my comments to a few matters which seem to be of greater concern to the majority of members.

This does not mean that the topics I do not touch on today are of no common concern or significance. They are often matters of a technical nature, or in respect of which we need time for a thorough study and consultation, before we can formulate our views and suggestions.

## Constitutional Proposals

Featuring in many members' speeches are their concerns over the Governor's constitutional proposals. Many members commented on the proposal to remove all appointed membership from the Council. Many, but not all, felt that the implementation proposed was too hasty and might change the make-up of the Council adversely by taking away many of its expertise in various fields. I can assure members that their comments have already been passed on to the Government. I trust that the powers that be will take them seriously.

In the Urban Council's 110 years' history, we have grown from a mere Sanitary Board to a Municipal Council, providing a wide range of services to the public. We owe all success to a group of dedicated councillors, both past and present, who worked painstakingly, selflessly and harmoniously to achieve our common goals and objectives. There is never any existence of different camps. The mix of appointed, elected and district board representative members complements one another's knowledge, expertise and linkage with various sectors of the community. As Mr. Brook Bernacchi, our elected member of the longest standing, once said "Why rock the boat?" This is particularly true when the boat is sailing smoothly and swiftly, and none of the ports it serves has suggested to change the crew.

It has been suggested that the expertise lost by the abolition of appointed membership could be made up by resorting to the appointment of consultants where necessary, and co-opting suitable people as advisors or members of Select Committees but not as Urban Councillors. Is this an efficient method of

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