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indirectly. The motion is to me a well intended one and I support the intentions of Mr. Suen. In principle, I think we need to face the matter of effectiveness and how to achieve results.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. SUEN, you can exercise your right of reply.
MR. SUEN KAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to respond to several points. Firstly, some Members mentioned that certain applicants refused to make amendments in compliance with the specified conditions and they did not deserve sympathy. Their failure to obtain licences was through no fault of anybody. But I am not speaking about such people. I am referring to people who follow procedures and instructions. They were not issued with licences because of the inefficiency of departments. As a result, they violated the law. They are the people about whom I am now speaking.
The second point I want to respond to is about provisional licences for restaurants. I wonder if Members know clearly why the idea of provisional licences ever came up. It has nothing to do with unresponsive applicants or sub-standard applications warranting only provisional licences. The truth is that there are delays due to the inefficiency of departments so that proper licences cannot be issued in time. As such, we have come up with the idea of issuing provisional licences when basic requirements are complied with. So the background of provisional licences is the inability of departments to catch up with the progress of cases.
What is the most important thing for everyone? To do what one can. Going for something definitely not within one's limit is overdoing things. That is the case. The USD's sphere of duties has been set out clearly in the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance. Fire Services and Buildings Ordinances are not within the limit of the USD's powers. The spheres of duties of other departments are not within our own limit. To me, taking up the impossible job of coordination and then failing in the process reflects that one is exceeding one's limit.
I am saddened by one other thing, very much saddened indeed. Why? I just heard a Member proclaiming as a representative of the Democratic Party. I have not read the constitution or aims of the Democratic Party, but judging from the word 'democratic', he should agree with my point of view. I don't know if he does. My own understanding is 'to be democratic and open for the public to supervise'. I hope I am right. If we go along this line, I don't understand why the Member who spoke just now tried to protect government departments from having to answer to the public. Down from the Central Government, it has been emphasized that government departments have to pledge service commitments and be accountable to the public. By raising objection as he did just now, he was paving the way for government departments not to be accountable to the public and not to pledge service commitments. That is indeed very saddening.
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indirectly. The motion is to me a well intended one and I support the intentions of Mr. Suen. In principle, I think we need to face the matter of effectiveness and how to achieve results.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. SUEN, you can exercise your right of reply.
MR. SUEN KAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to respond to several points. Firstly, some Members mentioned that certain applicants refused to make amendments in compliance with the specified conditions and they did not deserve sympathy. Their failure to obtain licences was through no fault of anybody. But I am not speaking about such people. I am referring to people who follow procedures and instructions. They were not issued with licences because of the inefficiency of departments. As a result, they violated the law. They are the people about whom I am now speaking.
The second point I want to respond to is about provisional licences for restaurants. I wonder if Members know clearly why the idea of provisional licences ever came up. It has nothing to do with unresponsive applicants or sub-standard applications warranting only provisional licences. The truth is that there are delays due to the inefficiency of departments so that proper licences cannot be issued in time. As such, we have come up with the idea of issuing provisional licences when basic requirements are complied with. So the background of provisional licences is the inability of departments to catch up with the progress of cases.
What is the most important thing for everyone? To do what one can. Going for something definitely not within one's limit is overdoing things. That is the case. The USD's sphere of duties has been set out clearly in the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance. Fire Services and Buildings Ordinances are not within the limit of the USD's powers. The spheres of duties of other departments are not within our own limit. To me, taking up the impossible job of coordination and then failing in the process reflects that one is exceeding one's limit.
I am saddened by one other thing, very much saddened indeed. Why? I just heard a Member proclaiming as a representative of the Democratic Party. I have not read the constitution or aims of the Democratic Party, but judging from the word 'democratic', he should agree with my point of view. I don't know if he does. My own understanding is 'to be democratic and open for the public to supervise'. I hope I am right. If we go along this line, I don't understand why the Member who spoke just now tried to protect government departments from having to answer to the public. Down from the Central Government, it has been emphasized that government departments have to pledge service commitments and be accountable to the public. By raising objection as he did just now, he was paving the way for government departments not to be accountable to the public and not to pledge service commitments. That is indeed very saddening.
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