HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
will find it convenient to carry one single library card with them all the time so that they can stop by to borrow books as often and as frequently as they wish, without the hassle of finding that they have no tickets with them.
(D) GREENING HONG KONG
No matter whether we play sports, read or have a stroll in the park, we all desire a green environment with plenty of fresh air. Hong Kong has been much criticized for being a concrete jungle. This is not without reason. To consider various ways to beautify our city and improve our environment, we have established a Working Group on the Greening of Hong Kong chaired by the Hon. MAN Sai-cheong. There are, however, limitations in what we can do. Much as we would like to turn Hong Kong greener, this is dependent on suitable locations and sites which can be made available for the purpose.
(E) PUBLIC HYGIENE
As regards public hygiene, steps are being taken to raise the standard through improved services, enforcement action and the public health education.
When people talk about Urban Council, they often associated me with the so called 'Public Toilet Reform' I introduced one year ago. This is the basic service used by everyone and yet we do not attach a lot of importance to it. We have now new guidelines on standard and details for public toilets which I am glad to report, meet with public approval.
11 old public toilets have since been refurbished according to the new standard, and the refurbishment of another 14 is on the way. I hope it will not be too long when all our old, dim, dirty, dark and filthy public toilets will be gone forever, and in their places are refurbished, new, well-lit, well ventilated and well managed public toilets.
(F) INCINERATORS
Lastly, I would like to re-state the Council's reservation on the total reliance on landfills for the disposal of domestic waste. We have passed a motion to urge government to review its policy with a view to introducing modern, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly incineration plants as part of the comprehensive approach to the final disposal of domestic waste. Based on our indepth study and experiences from a number of overseas visits, we have solid reasons to believe that incineration should be used, as a supplementary means, for the final disposal of domestic waste. Modern incinerators are almost pollution free, they reduce considerably the volume of waste for final disposal and save hectares of land which would otherwise be required if the original volume of waste were to be landfilled, and they produce precious energy which can be sold for commercial and industrial use. The cost analysis available to us is that, because of revenue is generated by the sale of electricity, incineration is in fact cheaper than landfill from the start. I hope the Government will give serious consideration to our motion.
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Before concluding this speech, I must thank all my colleagues in the Council for their invaluable contribution, the Department for its dedication and hard work in implementing our policies, and the Council Secretariat for their excellent support to us. It has been an eventful year for the Council, we are all proud of the results we manage to achieve over the past year.
I propose adoption of the motion in my name.
THE VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I rise to second your motion. It is not my intention to make any utterances today but will do so on Thursday, if necessary. And if indeed I have anything original to say that would not be repetitive of my colleagues' views. I look forward now to having the benefit of the immense wisdom of my fellow Councillors.
THE CHAIRMAN (in English):-Thank you. I act likewise to call upon now the first speaker. Mr. Brook BERNACCHI.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the finances of the Urban Council are in reasonable shape, the actual reserves at present amounting to almost 12 billion dollars. So, in this uncertain time, I will take the opportunity and advantage of the liberty given to members on the Annual Debate to express my views on the present political situation. As I am elected to this Council as a representative of the Reform Club it is but right that I express the Reform Club's views, particulary when they are similar to my own views.
Firstly, almost from birth, I have been against any system which will not allow itself to be changed in a democratic way. Therefore, basically I do not approve of the communist system. In fact, in 1963 I was charged with harbouring two refugees from China because the Hong Kong Government had not then appreciated that the Cultural Revolution had already started. As a result of my prosecution, the Government later suspended many of the sections of the Immigration Ordinance referable to immigration from China for several years and at the next election, I received the highest number of votes that I have ever had. Nevertheless, the position in regard to immigration is entirely different today. Also on a wider aspect, since 1984 Hong Kong is committed to the principle of two systems in one state, but please do not delude ourselves, it is a communist state.
Therefore, whether we like it or not, to hope to exist on a different system, we have to abide, not merely by the letter of the 1984 Proclamations but their spirit as well. Further, the letter and the spirit of the Basic Law, which these Proclamations envisaged and is now enacted to come into force on the change of sovereignty.
Dealing with China is still more complicated than that. Its people have got used to there being an Emperor as the all powerful head of State for 1,000s' of years, with the overthrow of the Ching Dynasty, this attitude has not been overthrown. MAO Ze Dong was just as powerful as any emperor, and his
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age 73 of 126
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will find it convenient to carry one single library card with them all the time so that they can stop by to borrow books as often and as frequently as they wish, without the hassle of finding that they have no tickets with them.
(D) GREENING HONG KONG
No matter whether we play sports, read or have a stroll in the park, we all desire a green environment with plenty of fresh air. Hong Kong has been much criticized for being a concrete jungle. This is not without reason. To consider various ways to beautify our city and improve our environment, we have established a Working Group on the Greening of Hong Kong chaired by the Hon. MAN Sai-cheong. There are, however, limitations in what we can do. Much as we would like to turn Hong Kong greener, this is dependent on suitable locations and sites which can be made available for the purpose.
(E) PUBLIC HYGIENE
As regards public hygiene, steps are being taken to raise the standard through improved services, enforcement action and the public health education.
When people talk about Urban Council, they often associated me with the so called 'Public Toilet Reform' I introduced one year ago. This is the basic service used by everyone and yet we do not attach a lot of importance to it. We have now new guidelines on standard and details for public toilets which I am glad to report, meet with public approval.
11 old public toilets have since been refurbished according to the new standard, and the refurbishment of another 14 is on the way. I hope it will not be too long when all our old, dim, dirty, dark and filthy public toilets will be gone forever, and in their places are refurbished, new, well-lit, well ventilated and well managed public toilets.
(F) INCINERATORS
Lastly, I would like to re-state the Council's reservation on the total reliance on landfills for the disposal of domestic waste. We have passed a motion to urge government to review its policy with a view to introducing modern, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly incineration plants as part of the comprehensive approach to the final disposal of domestic waste. Based on our indepth study and experiences from a number of overseas visits, we have solid reasons to believe that incineration should be used, as a supplementary means, for the final disposal of domestic waste. Modern incinerators are almost pollution free, they reduce considerably the volume of waste for final disposal and save hectares of land which would otherwise be required if the original volume of waste were to be landfilled, and they produce precious energy which can be sold for commercial and industrial use. The cost analysis available to us is that, because of revenue is generated by the sale of electricity, incineration is in fact cheaper than landfill from the start. I hope the Government will give serious consideration to our motion.
Page 73 of 126
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 73 of 126
123
Before concluding this speech, I must thank all my colleagues in the Council for their invaluable contribution, the Department for its dedication and hard work in implementing our policies, and the Council Secretariat for their excellent support to us. It has been an eventful year for the Council, we are all proud of the results we manage to achieve over the past year.
I propose adoption of the motion in my name.
THE VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I rise to second your motion. It is not my intention to make any utterances today but will do so on Thursday, if necessary. And if indeed I have anything original to say that would not be repetitive of my colleagues' views. I look forward now to having the benefit of the immense wisdom of my fellow Councillors.
THE CHAIRMAN (in English):-Thank you. I act likewise to call upon now the first speaker. Mr. Brook BERNACCHI.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the finances of the Urban Council are in reasonable shape, the actual reserves at present amounting to almost 12 billion dollars. So, in this uncertain time, I will take the opportunity and advantage of the liberty given to members on the Annual Debate to express my views on the present political situation. As I am elected to this Council as a representative of the Reform Club it is but right that I express the Reform Club's views, particulary when they are similar to my own views.
Firstly, almost from birth, I have been against any system which will not allow itself to be changed in a democratic way. Therefore, basically I do not approve of the communist system. In fact, in 1963 I was charged with harbouring two refugees from China because the Hong Kong Government had not then appreciated that the Cultural Revolution had already started. As a result of my prosecution, the Government later suspended many of the sections. of the Immigration Ordinance referable to immigration from China for several years and at the next election, I received the highest number of votes that I have ever had. Nevertheless, the position in regard to immigration is entirely different today. Also on a wider aspect, since 1984 Hong Kong, is committed to the principle of two systems in one state, but please do not delude ourselves, it is a communist state.
Therefore, whether we like it or not, to hope to exist on a different system, we have to abide, not merely by the letter of the 1984 Proclamations but their spirit as well. Further, the letter and the spirit of the Basic Law, which these Proclamations envisaged and is now enacted to come into force on the change of sovereignty.
Dealing with China is still more complicated than that. Its people have got used to there being an Emperor as the all powerful head of State for 1,000s' of years, with the overthrow of the Ching Dynasty, this attitude has not been overthrown. MAO Ze Dong was just as powerful as any emperor, and his
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