Page 302 of 498
+98
344
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
of the Council in various aspects, we may realize that the different arguments in fact reflect the different points of view of various parties. My conclusion is that the Council's existing area of service is indeed arbitrarily determined.
The Government has divided municipal services into two main areas, separately under the jurisdiction of the Urban Council and the Regional Council. But, in fact, all services provided for the public by the two Councils are the same. By saying so, I actually want to point out that more than ten years ago, the Central Government arbitrarily divided the municipal services for Hong Kong people into two main areas. In the past, there was only one Urban Council Area, viz. the urban area, but we all know very well that policies formulated by the Urban Council were applicable to both the urban area and the New Territories in the past decades. During the past years, the Regional Council also adopted policies formulated by the Urban Council for the implementation of municipal services in the New Territories. If we hope the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region be greeted with the existence of better and more improved municipal services for the public, the Special Administrative Region Government should consider the amalgamation of the Urban Council and the Regional Council by stages. Many advantages as there are, I am only going to mention two here. First, the amalgamation would bring about more cost-effective municipal services as well as better administrative and organizational management. Second, should the amalgamation be successful, the standard of municipal services provided for the whole territory would be further improved. For instance, at present, the standardizing and control of imported food are funded separately by the two municipal councils, and staff are also deployed separately by the two municipal services departments to assist in the work, which is co-ordinated by the Department of Health of the Central Government. Although the Department of Health has a Hygiene Services Committee, it often handles affairs, and makes decisions and considerations according to the principles of the two municipal councils. As a result, the whole process of work has been unnecessarily impeded. So, to amalgamate the two municipal councils is my first aspiration.
On the other hand, issues on public health, recreation and sports, as well as hawker control, etc., are among the Urban Council's statutory responsibilities. Though many problems and policies in Hong Kong have a close link with the Council's jurisdiction, it is unfortunate that we do not have the capacity to deal with them. Meanwhile, there is not any elected body to formulate policies and make decisions for these services. For instance, the work of the Department of Health is in fact closely connected with the Urban Council and, as we all know, environmental protection, which is closely bound up with the Council's duties on public health and other services, is one of the major aspects of municipal services. Therefore, my second aspiration is that the Special Administrative Region Government will gradually extend the Urban Council's jurisdiction to cover, at least, the work of the Department of Health and the work on environmental protection as well as television and entertainment. We
Page 302 of 498
Page 302 of 498
+98
344
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
of the Council in various aspects, we may realize that the different arguments in fact reflect the different points of view of various parties. My conclusion is that the Council's existing area of service is indeed arbitrarily determined.
The Government has divided municipal services into two main areas, separately under the jurisdiction of the Urban Council and the Regional Council. But, in fact, all services provided for the public by the two Councils are the same. By saying so, I actually want to point out that more than ten years ago, the Central Government arbitrarily divided the municipal services for Hong Kong people into two main areas. In the past, there was only one Urban Council Area, viz. the urban area, but we all know very well that policies formulated by the Urban Council were applicable to both the urban arca and the New Territories in the past decades. During the past years, the Regional Council also adopted policies formulated by the Urban Council for the implementation of municipal services in the New Territories. If we hope the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region be greeted with the existence of better and more improved municipal services for the public, the Special Administrative Region Government should consider the amalgamation of the Urban Council and the Regional Council by stages. Many advantages as there are, I am only going to mention two here. First, the amalgamation would bring about more cost-effective municipal services as well as better administrative and organizational management. Second, should the amalgamation be successful, the standard of municipal services provided for the whole territory would be further improved. For instance, at present, the standardizing and control of imported food are funded separately by the two municipal councils. and staff are also deployed separately by the two municipal services departments to assist in the work, which is co-ordinated by the Department of Health of the Central Government. Although the Department of Health has a Hygiene Services Committee, it often handles affairs, and makes decisions and considerations according to the principles of the two municipal councils. As a result, the whole process of work has been unnecessarily impeded. So, to amalgamate the two municipal councils is my first aspiration.
On the other hand, issues on public health, recreation and sports, as well as hawker control, etc., are among the Urban Council's statutory responsibilities. Though many problems and policies in Hong Kong have a close link with the Council's jurisdiction, it is unfortunate that we do not have the capacity to deal with them. Meanwhile, there is not any elected body to formulate policies and make decisions for these services. For instance, the work of the Department of Health is in fact closely connected with the Urban Council and, as we all know, environmental protection, which is closely bound up with the Council's duties on public health and other services, is one of the major aspects of municipal services. Therefore, my second aspiration is that the Special Administrative Region Government will gradually extend the Urban Council's jurisdiction to cover, at least, the work of the Department of Health and the work on environmental protection as well as television and entertainment. We
Page 302 of 498
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.