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Ms. JENNIFER Chow Kit-bing (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, recent cases of applications for venues have sparked a lot of public discussion. This Council as the organization responsible for hiring of venues has come under strong criticism and been alleged for stripping the public's freedom of artistic expression and creation.
One of the functions of this Council is to provide facilities for and promote culture, art and recreation. We have an obligatory role to play in promoting art development and freedom of creation, but we must take care that the Council does not become one to promulgate political thinking. As an organization to promote culture, art and recreation, we should stand by our role and the work that comes with it. Care should be exercised in the handling of activities with political motives. When we vet applications for use of venues, we should bear in mind the consequences, the social effects and our responsibility. Much as we do not want to interfere with artistic creation and freedom of expression, let me stress that we are not a Council to promulgate political ideas. We should not be pulled along by political motives. On the contrary, we should make the promotion of culture, recreation and art our mission, take a positive approach towards the development and creation of art as well as avoid being drawn into political disputes.
Judging from past events, it can be seen that those seeking to hire our venues come from different strata of society. The Provisional Urban Council should react sensitively to such changes. In approving applications, we should stick by existing criteria and the approach to support freedom of arts and artistic development. If the need so arises, the Council can consider devising a set of guidelines. The overall objective should be hiring out venues for the promotion of artistic development, not political propaganda.
As a responsible council and an organization to manage venues, we should consider carefully the consequences, our responsibilities and the motives of hirers. We should keep in step with the social situation and try to protect the interest of the community. With these remarks, I support the amendment motion by Mr. Albert Lai Wing-lin.
Mr. Kam Nai-wai (in Cantonese):—I would like to respond to some of your speeches. I must say, some of you amazed me. If we have to ask the motives behind applications for use of venues, I believe we have to make potential hirers write down their motives. If this is indeed what we are getting into, I hope Ms. Jennifer Chow's speech can be recorded clearly in the minutes. I just want the public to know that Ms. Chow thinks it is necessary for her to understand the motives behind applications for use of venues.
Mr. Albert LAI asked why Mr. Chan Kwok-leung's motion only mentioned we should not refuse applications on political grounds. He wanted to know why we omitted other issues like race and sex. The answer is that some Members did recommend to refuse applications on political grounds.
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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
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Ms. JENNIFER Chow Kit-bing (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, recent cases of applications for venues have sparked a lot of public discussion. This Council as the organization responsible for hiring of venues has come under strong criticism and been alleged for stripping the public's freedom of artistic expression and creation.
One of the functions of this Council is to provide facilities for and promote culture, art and recreation. We have an obligatory role to play in promoting art development and freedom of creation, but we must take care that the Council does not become one to promulgate political thinking. As an organization to promote culture, art and recreation, we should stand by our role and the work that comes with it. Care should be exercised in the handling of activities with political motives. When we vet applications for use of venues, we should bear in mind the consequences, the social effects and our responsibility. Much as we do not want to interfere with artistic creation and freedom of expression, let me stress that we are not a Council to promulgate political ideas. We should not be pulled along by political motives. On the contrary, we should make the promotion of culture, recreation and art our mission, take a positive approach towards the development and creation of art as well as avoid being drawn into political disputes.
Judging from past events, it can be seen that those seeking to hire our venues come from different strata of society. The Provisional Urban Council should react sensitively to such changes. In approving applications, we should stick by existing criteria and the approach to support freedom of arts and artistic development. If the need so arises, the Council can consider devising a set of tguidelines. The overall objective should be hiring out venues for the promotion
of artistic development, not political propaganda.
As a responsible council and an organization to manage venues, we should consider carefully the consequences, our responsibilities and the motives of lhirers. We should keep in step with the social situation and try to protect the interest of the community. With these remarks. I support the amendment :motion by Mr. Albert Lai Wing-lin.
Mr. Kam Nai-wal (in Cantonese):—I would like to respond to some of your speeches. I must say, some of you amazed me. If we have to ask the motives behind applications for use of venues, I believe we have to make potential hirers write down their motives. If this is indeed what we are getting into, I hope Ms. Jennifer CHow's speech can be recorded clearly in the minutes. I just want the public to know that Ms. Cнow thinks it is necessary for her to understand the motives behind applications for use of venues.
Mr. Albert LAI asked why Mr. Chan Kwok-leung's motion only mentioned we should not refuse applications on political grounds. He wanted to know why we omitted other issues like race and sex. The answer is that some Members did recommend to refuse applications on political grounds.
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