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her amendment, the focus was on cost-effectiveness. It is a good point and the focus is a correct one, but perhaps the wrong diaphragm was applied and the depth of field was reduced so that cost-effectiveness became the sole emphasis.
In Mr. LAM's amendment, apart from cost-effectiveness, the aspect of enhancement of efficiency was brought in. There is bound to be conflict between enhancement of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Increasing efficiency leads to the increase of marginal costs. Under the circumstances, we should not simply look at the aspect of cost effectiveness. We should seek to strike a balance. On the one hand, we need to make good use of resources, on the other, we must increase efficiency. Our aim has to be the implementation of the plans of Select Committees.
As such, I feel that Mr. Lam Man-fai's amendment is more comprehensive. As to Ms. Ada WONG calling Mr. Lam Man-fai's amendment conservative, I take a different view. We are not ruling out the commissioning of consultancy firms, we will do so as and when it is necessary. Fellow Members, 'go for the best option'. I hope you will shed your party loyalty in choosing a motion which is comprehensive and right. I also hope that Ms. Ada WONG will drop her restrictive amendment and support Mr. LAM's amendment instead. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Stanley Ng Wing-fai (in Cantonese):—I have just heard a Member calling on us to shed our party loyalty. Let me call on colleagues who are members of different political parties and who have been affected by the lobbying of the directorate of the Urban Services Department to discard the burden of the influence of lobbying. In fact, we can see that the contents of the two amendments are very close to the original motion. All of them strive for better administrative efficiency, full utilization of resources and improvements to the Department's services to the public. We can see that the argument is mainly on whether or not to appoint a consultancy firm.
As Mr. Christopher CHUNG has said, once we get the right focus, we know what is most important and what kind of reform policy will be rejected most. As can be seen from the arguments given just now, there are several reasons for opposing the appointment of a consultancy firm. The first one is that it will affect the morale within the Department. Let me remind Members that only those who have humiliated themselves will be humiliated by others'. In other words, if the Urban Services Department has not done well, Members will criticize it. If there are inadequacies in the efficiency of the establishment, there has to be an inspection mechanism to point out the flaws. I think one has no need to worry about criticisms of being within a bureaucratic mechanism. I call on staff members of the Department to open up sincerely for an independent consultancy firm to assist in engineering improvements.
Secondly, we move on to the financial aspect and the existing system. The existing system can be reviewed and there will only be a need to appoint a
Page 246 of 498
Page 246 of 498
Page 246 of 498
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
241
her amendment, the focus was on cost-effectiveness. It is a good point and the focus is a correct one, but perhaps the wrong diaphragm was applied and the depth of field was reduced so that cost-effectiveness became the sole emphasis.
In Mr. LAM's amendment, apart from cost-effectiveness, the aspect of enhancement of efficiency was brought in. There is bound to be conflict between enhancement of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Increasing efficiency leads to the increase of marginal costs. Under the circumstances, we should not simply look at the aspect of cost effectiveness. We should seek to strike a balance. On the one hand, we need to make good use of resources, one the other, we must increase efficiency. Our aim has to be the implementation of the plans of Select Committees.
As such, I feel that Mr. Lam Man-fai's amendment is more comprehensive. As to Ms. Ada WONG calling Mr. Lam Man-fai's amendment conservative, I take a different view. We are not ruling out the commissioning of consultancy firms, we will do so as and when it is necessary. Fellow Members, 'go for the best option'. I hope you will shed your party loyalty in choosing a motion which is comprehensive and right. I also hope that Ms. Ada WONG will drop her restrictive amendment and support Mr. LAM's amendment instead. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Stanley Ng Wing-faI (in Cantonese):—I have just heard a Member calling on us to shed our party loyalty. Let me call on colleagues who are members of different political parties and who have been affected by the lobbying of the directorate of the Urban Services Department to discard the burden of the influence of lobbying. In fact, we can see that the contents of the two amendments are very close to the original motion. All of them strive for better administrative efficiency, full utilization of resources and improvements to the Department's services to the public. We can see that the argument is mainly on whether or not to appoint a consultancy firm.
As Mr. Christopher CHUNG has said, once we get the right focus, we know what is most important and what kind of reform policy will be rejected most. As can be seen from the arguments given just now, there are several reasons for opposing the appointment of a consultancy firm. The first one is that it will affect the morale within the Department. Let me remind Members that only those who have humiliated themselves will be humiliated by others'. In other words, if the Urban Services Department has not done well. Members will criticize it. If there are inadequacies in the efficiency of the establishment, there has to be an inspection mechanism to point out the flaws. I think one has no need to worry about criticisms of being within a bureaucratic mechanism. I call on staff members of the Department to open up sincerely for an independent consultancy firm to assist in engineering improvements.
Secondly, we move on to the financial aspect and the existing system. The existing system can be reviewed and there will only be a need to appoint a
Page 246 of 498
Page 246 of 498
Page 246 of 498
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