1995 — Page 154

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 154 of 485

130

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

that those were empty words because the Statement of Aims did not really point in the right direction. There was no time schedule for implementation, no ranking of priorities in the allocation of resources, no indication on the sort of measures to be adopted to implement the policy, no monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the achievement of the objectives and no mechanism for review. None of these was in existence. These are the sort of questions posed by the citizens and my answers to these questions were, of course, in the negative. So, I have been asked whether we only adopted stop-gap measures, whether we were very short-sighted, whether we were somewhat fragmented in our approach to solve our problems and considered each case on individual merits. If this was so, they cast doubt on the accountability of the UC having considered a $5 billion budget that we could spend.

With a newly-constituted Urban Council, we should have different expectations of ourselves. Just take any organization as an example, no matter whether it is a charitable organization or commercial establishment, a public body or public utility company, any organization will, from an administrative point of view, set out its objectives and devise concrete workplans in achieving them. The workplans will have a time frame. For example, we may have a 1-year workplan, a 3-year workplan or a 5-year workplan. Other than setting out the time frames, an organization would also decide on the allocation of resources and priorities of its objectives. The way of achieving the objectives will be clearly set out in the workplans or yearly plans in accordance with the account of resources allocated. There will also be a mechanism to monitor the performance and to see whether the objectives are met.

Miss WONG, in her speech, has pointed out a number of things with emphasis on the 3 select committees which fall in the field of art and culture. Let us not forget that the UC has got 14 select committees and you can regard each select committee as a department or the compartment of a train. The 14 compartments, though linked to each other theoretically, do not have their annual workplans, implementation proposals and a common direction. I wonder if it is really a train since the compartments go in their own ways.

Regarding the second part of the motion, besides referring to the select committees which fall in the field of culture and art, the motion also suggests all other select committees of the Council to review the need for devising similar plans within their respective purviews. We always say that different departments lack coordination among themselves. We have discussed the lack of coordination among the government departments over the issue of Lai Chi Kok Park and the Western Corridor today. We may suggest to the relevant working group and select committee to express our regret on this lack of coordination. However, before the public also express their regret on the UC, I think the 14 select committees should come out with their own plans which differ from the current set of Statements of Aims. If the 14 Select Committees can coordinate among themselves and agree on a common direction, I think the public will have a clearer picture on UC's objectives and accountability. As an

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Page 154 of 485 Page 154 of 485 Page 154 of 485 130 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL that those were empty words because the Statement of Aims did not really point in the right direction. There was no time schedule for implementation, no ranking of priorities in the allocation of resources, no indication on the sort of measures to be adopted to implement the policy, no monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the achievement of the objectives and no mechanism for review. None of these was in existence. These are the sort of questions posed by the citizens and my answers to these questions were, of course, in the negative. So, I have been asked whether we only adopted stop-gap measures, whether we were very short-sighted, whether we were somewhat fragmented in our approach to solve our problems and considered each case on individual merits. If this was so, they cast doubt on the accountability of the UC having considered a $5 billion budget that we could spend. With a newly-constituted Urban Council, we should have different expectations of ourselves. Just take any organization as an example, no matter whether it is a charitable organization or commercial establishment, a public body or public utility company, any organization will, from an administrative point of view, set out its objectives and devise concrete workplans in achieving them. The workplans will have a time frame. For example, we may have a 1-year workplan, a 3-year workplan or a 5-year workplan. Other than setting out the time frames, an organization would also decide on the allocation of resources and priorities of its objectives. The way of achieving the objectives will be clearly set out in the workplans or yearly plans in accordance with the account of resources allocated. There will also be a mechanism to monitor the performance and to see whether the objectives are met. Miss WONG, in her speech, has pointed out a number of things with emphasis on the 3 select committees which fall in the field of art and culture. Let us not forget that the UC has got 14 select committees and you can regard each select committee as a department or the compartment of a train. The 14 compartments, though linked to each other theoretically, do not have their annual workplans, implementation proposals and a common direction. I wonder if it is really a train since the compartments go in their own ways. Regarding the second part of the motion, besides referring to the select committees which fall in the field of culture and art, the motion also suggests all other select committees of the Council to review the need for devising similar plans within their respective purviews. We always say that different departments lack coordination among themselves. We have discussed the lack of coordination among the government departments over the issue of Lai Chi Kok Park and the Western Corridor today. We may suggest to the relevant working group and select committee to express our regret on this lack of coordination. However, before the public also express their regret on the UC, I think the 14 select committees should come out with their own plans which differ from the current set of Statements of Aims. If the 14 Select Committees can coordinate among themselves and agree on a common direction, I think the public will have a clearer picture on UC's objectives and accountability. As an Page 154 of 485

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Page 154 of 485 Page 154 of 485 Page 154 of 485 130 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL that those were empty words because the Statement of Aims did not really point in the right direction. There was no time schedule for implementation, no ranking of priorities in the allocation of resources, no indication on the sort of measures to be adopted to implement the policy, no monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the achievement of the objectives and no mechanism for review. None of these was in existence. These are the sort of questions posed by the citizens and my answers to these questions were, of course, in the negative. So, I have been asked whether we only adopted stop-gap measures, whether we were very short-sighted whether we were somewhat fragmented in our approach to solve our problems and considered each case on individual merits. If this was so, they cost doubt on the accountability of the UC having considered $5 billion budget that we could spend. With a newly-constituted Urban Council, we should have different expectations on ourselves. Just take any organization as an example, no matter whether it is a charitable organization or commercial establishment, a public body or public utility company, any organization will from an administrative point of view, set out its objectives and devise concrete workplans in achieving them. The workplans will have a time frame. For example, we may have a I-year workplan, a 3-year workplan or a 5-year workplan. Other than setting out the time frames, an organization would also decide on the allocation of resources and priorities of its objectives. The way of achieving the objectives will be clearly set out in the workplans or yearly plans in accordance with the account of resources allocated. There will also be a mechanism to monitor the performance and to see whether the objectives are met. Miss WONG, in her speech, has pointed out a number of things with emphasis on the 3 select committees which fall in the field of art and culture. Let us not forget that the UC has got 14 select committees and you can regard each select committee as a department or the compartment of a train. The 14 compartments, though linked to each other theoretically, do not have their annual workplans, implementation proposals and a common direction. I wonder if it is really a train since the compartments go in their own ways. Regarding the second part of the motion, besides referring to the select committees which fall in the field of culture and art, the motion also suggests all other select committees of the Council to review the need for devising similar plans within their respective purviews. We always say that different departments lack coordination among themselves. We have discussed the lack of coordination among the government departments over the issue of Lai Chi Kok Park and the Western Corridor today. We may suggest to the relevant working group and select committee to express our regret on this lack of coordination. However, before the public also express their regret on the UC, I think the 14 select committees should come out with their own plans which differ from the current set of Statements of Aims. If the 14 Select Committees can coordinate among themselves and agree on a common direction, I think the public will have a clearer picture on UC's objectives and accountability. As an 485

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Page 154 of 485

130

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

that those were empty words because the Statement of Aims did not really point in the right direction. There was no time schedule for implementation, no ranking of priorities in the allocation of resources, no indication on the sort of measures to be adopted to implement the policy, no monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the achievement of the objectives and no mechanism for review. None of these was in existence. These are the sort of questions posed by the citizens and my answers to these questions were, of course, in the negative. So, I have been asked whether we only adopted stop-gap measures, whether we were very short-sighted whether we were somewhat fragmented in our approach to solve our problems and considered each case on individual merits. If this was so, they cost doubt on the accountability of the UC having considered $5 billion budget that we could spend.

With a newly-constituted Urban Council, we should have different expectations on ourselves. Just take any organization as an example, no matter whether it is a charitable organization or commercial establishment, a public body or public utility company, any organization will from an administrative point of view, set out its objectives and devise concrete workplans in achieving them. The workplans will have a time frame. For example, we may have a I-year workplan, a 3-year workplan or a 5-year workplan. Other than setting out the time frames, an organization would also decide on the allocation of resources and priorities of its objectives. The way of achieving the objectives will be clearly set out in the workplans or yearly plans in accordance with the account of resources allocated. There will also be a mechanism to monitor the performance and to see whether the objectives are met.

1995 — Page 154

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