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including political privileges. Democracy is a vehicle to realize equality and justice. I hope those with power or vested interests in the established system will stop obstructing the pace of democratization in Hong Kong. If all appointed seats in the Legislative Council are to be abolished in 1995, why must the Urban Council retain its appointed seats? Recently, some people have asked why democracy should be introduced into this territory in her final years as a colony when it has never existed in Hong Kong for more than 100 years? To those holding this view, I would like to say that democracy is not something bestowed upon us by the British, but a small fruit reaped by the people of Hong Kong after fighting for it for years. It is also a basic human right. Monarchy had existed in China for 5,000 years. Did we query why it was abolished?
Economy and technology develop with the progress of time, and political system must not lag behind economic development. If the economy of Hong Kong is to prosper further and if the concept of 'one country, two systems' is to be implemented effectively, the complementary element of political democratization is essential. It is too backward to try to rule a well-informed, prosperous, diversified and highly educated society with the outdated sequestered mode of ruling.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
Annex I
Year Visiting tourists Local residents Consumption figures (million) 89 5,361,170 1,813,702 35,843 90 5,932,854 2,043,123 91 6,032,081 2,046,431 37,978CHAIRMAN (in English): Next speaker is Mr. San Stephen WONG.
MR. SAN STEPHEN WONG HON-CHING (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, the Lan Kwai Fong tragedy on New Year's Eve leaving 21 people dead and nearly a hundred people injured is one of the worst disasters of Hong Kong in recent decades. While the cause of the accident is still under investigation, the tragedy has shed some light on a few important issues.
About 20,000 people were gathered at the narrow Lan Kwai Fong for the New Year countdown when the tragedy occurred. It was reported that all of a sudden the crowd gushed down the slope that night. People were squashed and knocked over and even trampled on in the frantic chaos that ensued.
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As the government spokesman said, the blame should not be on any one party alone. Meanwhile, the Governor has appointed an experienced judge, Mr. Justice Bokhary, to conduct an independent enquiry. According to the accounts given by various eyewitnesses, the causes of the accident can be summarized as follows: revellers, in a state of uncontrolled festive excitement, spurted beer and champagne all over the place; others sprayed party string and foam causing the road surface slippery. Somebody fell, triggering off a domino effect. At the same time many people were playing the game of human wave and throwing bottles around. Someone lost their balance when pushed by others, but the crowd continued to push towards the centre, thus culminating in extreme chaos and heavy casualties. It has been pointed out that youngsters who deliberately stirred up trouble should bear most of the blame. It is no use trying to find out who is to blame now because it cannot help those who lost their lives or were injured in the incident, but I do hope the government departments concerned can learn a lesson from the tragedy and will study ways to prevent any recurrence of the accident.
Strictly speaking, the Liquor Licensing Board has nothing to do with the Lan Kwai Fong accident because once a licence is issued by the Licensing Board, it is up to the police to enforce the law and prosecute. The licence issued by LLB only deals with liquor selling within licensed premises. The sale and consumption of liquor on the street is outside LLB's jurisdiction. Prosecution for offences either inside or outside licensed premises is the job of the police who conduct regular reviews and brief the Urban Council on these reviews and the prosecutions they have made.
Hong Kong is a city of free trade. Operators of restaurants or bars may apply for liquor licences as long as their premises fulfil the requirements of legislation in respect of fire prevention, building layout, environmental protection and hygiene. I must make it clear that LLB is not trying to shirk responsibility. On the contrary, we shall be holding a special meeting to review the liquor licensing system including issues currently outside LLB's jurisdiction when Mr. Justice BOKHARY's report is completed. We shall be looking into issues such as the sale of liquor by supermarkets and convenience stores, particularly to people under 18. In this connection, I would like to call upon shop owners to restrict the sale of alcohol to adult customers only and not to those under 18. Secondly, LLB will be discussing whether to limit the number of people allowed in a restaurant or bar at any one time as a precautionary measure against heavy casualties in case an accident should occur. Most important of all, we shall of course be looking into the existing legislation to see whether heavier penalties should be imposed to achieve the intended deterrent effect. Views from LLB members and fellow Councillors in this respect are welcomed.
Talking about licensing, an establishment must have either a Restaurant Licence or Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence before it can serve food. Very often, an applicant is refused a licence by this Council because his premises have failed to comply with legislation enforced by other departments. Nonetheless, when food is served in unlicensed premises, it is our colleagues in USD who
Page 98 of 126
Page 98 of 126
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
including political privileges. Democracy is a vehicle to realize equality and justice. I hope those with power or vested interests in the established system will stop obstructing the pace of democratization in Hong Kong. If all appointed seats in the Legislative Council are to be abolished in 1995, why must the Urban Council retain its appointed seats? Recently, some people have asked why democracy should be introduced into this territory in her final years as a colony when it has never existed in Hong Kong for more than 100 years? To those holding this view, I would like to say that democracy is not something bestowed upon us by the British, but a small fruit reaped by the people of Hong Kong after fighting for it for years. It is also a basic human right. Monarchy had existed in China for 5 000 years. Did we query why it was abolished?
Economy and technology develop with the progress of time, and political system must not lag behind economic development. If the economy of Hong Kong is to prosper further and if the concept of 'one country, two systems' is to be implemented effectively, the complementary element of political democratization is essential. It is too backward to try to rule a well-informed, prosperous, diversified and highly educated society with the outdated sequestered mode of ruling.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
Annex I
Year
Visiting tourists
Local residents
Consumption figures (million)
89
5 361 170
1 813 702
35 843
90
5 932 854
2 043 123
91
6 032 081
2 046 431
37 978
38.300
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Next speaker is Mr. San Stephen WONG.
MR. SAN STEPHEN WONG HON-CHING (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, the Lan Kwai Fong tragedy on New Year's Eve leaving 21 people dead and nearly a hundred people injured is one of the worst disasters of Hong Kong in recent decades. While the cause of the accident is still under investigation, the tragedy has shed some light on a few important issues.
About 20 000 people were gathered at the narrow Lan Kwai Fong for the New Year countdown when the tragedy occurred. It was reported that all of a sudden the crowd gushed down the slope that night. People were squashed and knocked over and even trampled on in the frantic chaos that ensued.
Page 98 of 126
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 98 of 126
173
As the government spokesman said, the blame should not be on any one party alone. Meanwhile, the Governor has appointed an experienced judge, Mr. Justice Bokhary, to conduct an independent enquiry. According to the accounts given by various eyewitnesses, the causes of the accident can be summarized as follows: revellers, in a state of uncontrolled festive excitement, spurted beer and champagne all over the place; others sprayed party string and foam causing the road surface slippery. Somebody fell, triggering off a domino effect. At the same time many people were playing the game of human wave and throwing bottles around. Someone lost their balance when pushed by others, but the crowd continued to push towards the centre, thus culminating in extreme chaos and heavy casualties. It has been pointed out that youngsters who deliberately stirred up trouble should bear most of the blame. It is no use trying to find out who is to blame now because it cannot help those who lost their lives or were injured in the incident, but I do hope the government departments concerned can learn a lesson from the tragedy and will study ways to prevent any recurrence of the accident.
Strictly speaking, the Liquor Licensing Board has nothing to do with the Lan Kwai Fong accident because once a licence is issued by the Licensing Board, it is up to the police to enforce the law and prosecute. The licence issued by LLB only deals with liquor selling within licensed premises. The sale and consumption of liquor on the street is outside LLB's jurisdiction. Prosecution for offences either inside or outside licensed premises is the job of the police who conduct regular reviews and brief the Urban Council on these reviews and the prosecutions they have made.
Hong Kong is a city of free trade. Operators of restaurants or bars may apply for liquor licences as long as their premises fulfil the requirements of legislation in respect of fire prevention, building layout, environmental protection and hygiene. I must make it clear that LLB is not trying to shirk responsibility. On the contrary, we shall be holding a special meeting to review the liquor licensing system including issues currently outside LLB's jurisdiction when Mr. Justice BOKHARY's report is completed. We shall be looking into issues such as the sale of liquor by supermarkets and convenience stores, particularly to people under 18. In this connection, I would like to call upon shop owners to restrict the sale of alcohol to adult customers only and not to those under 18. Secondly, LLB will be discussing whether to limit the number of people allowed in a restaurant or bar at any one time as a precautionary measure against heavy casualties in case an accident should occur. Most important of all, we shall of course be looking into the existing legislation to see whether heavier penalties should be imposed to achieve the intended deterrent effect. Views from LLB members and fellow Councillors in this respect are welcomed.
Talking about licensing, an establishment must have either a Restaurant Licence or Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence before it can serve food. Very often, an applicant is refused a licence by this Council because his premises have failed to comply with legislation enforced by other departments. Nonetheless, when food is served in unlicensed premises, it is our colleagues in USD who
Page 98 of 126
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