HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
345
At present the central government has ample fiscal reserves. Meanwhile, more than 100 hectares of land within the Urban Council area will be created through reclamation in West Kowloon and the place to be vacated by the Kai Tak Airport. With the area under its management expanding, there should be even greater increase in the budget for Urban Council facilities. In his Policy Address, the Chief Executive instructed that 85,000 domestic units be constructed every year. If this objective was met, urban housing would increase in number, but there might not be corresponding improvement in the living environment. Apart from housing needs, there are also the needs for entertainment, recreation, and market facilities, most of which are part of the municipal facilities and services.
Let me cite an example of 21st century pioneers. The West Kowloon Reclamation is the most affected area. An example is the Charming Garden. Occupation will begin at the end of 1998 and developments on top of the MTR station are being completed. But all the facilities planned for them, such as the Cherry Street Park, the site in Area 25B, the district park of West Kowloon Reclamation, and the refuse collection point in the outer reclaimed area of Taikoo-tsui, have to be held up. As early as a couple of years ago, I brought up several times the issue that the municipal facilities related to the Reclamation must be accelerated. Unfortunately, because of the delay in the provision of land to the Urban Council by various government departments such as the Urban Services Department and the Buildings Department, not only is acceleration of the projects impossible, but scheduled implementation is also unlikely because funding will not be available after 2000 due to the central government's cut on the Urban Council's capital budget. In other words, occupants of the Charming Garden who will be moving into the reclaimed area in the 21st century, including one of our Councillors and some of our colleagues, will have to be 21st century pioneers starting from scratch. This is hardly something that should happen in a well-developed community with ample financial reserves such as Hong Kong.
The Democratic Party strongly demands that if the Provisional Urban Council runs into deficit but there are projects that might speed up, the central government should make up for the insufficient allocation of funds. I wish to remind in particular my colleagues in the Urban Council that apart from the reclamation area, there are a lot of municipal facilities requiring improvement, such as the temporary refuse collection points I just mentioned, which should be changed to permanent ones as soon as possible. If the projects were upgraded only after it was confirmed that the $3.5b would not be exhausted, provision of the services concerned would be delayed. This would definitely be denounced by those who are affected. It would also run contrary to the Urban Council's established objective of providing quality municipal services to the community.
Having spoken again here, I support my colleague Mr. WONG Chung-ki's motion. Thank you.
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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
345
At present the central government has ample fiscal reserves. Meanwhile, more than 100 hectares of land within the Urban Council area will be created Ithrough reclamation in West Kowloon and the place to be vacated by the Kai "Tak Airport. With the area under its management expanding, there should be even greater increase in the budget for Urban Council facilities. In his Policy .Address, the Chief Executive instructed that 85 000 domestic units be constructed every year. If this objective was met, urban housing would increase iin number, but there might not be corresponding improvement in the living environment. Apart from housing needs, there are also the needs for entertainment, recreation and market facilities, most of which are part of the municipal facilities and services.
Let me cite an example of 21st century pioneers. The West Kowloon Reclamation is the most affected area. An example is the Charming Garden. Occupation will begin at the end of 1998 and developments on top of the MTR station are being completed. But all the facilities planned for them, such as the Cherry Street Park, the site in Area 251, the district park of West Kowloon Reclamation and the refuse collection point in the outer reclaimed area of Taikoktsui, have to be held up. As early as a couple of years ago, I brought up several times the issue that the municipal facilities related to the Reclamation must be accelerated. Unfortunately, because of the delay in the provision of land to the Urban Council by various government departments such as the Urban Services Department and the Buildings Department, not only is acceleration of the projects impossible, but scheduled implementation is also unlikely because funding will not be available after 2000 due to the central government's cut on the Urban Council's capital budget. In other words, occupants of the Charming Garden who will be moving into the reclaimed area in the 21st century, including one of our Councillors and some of our colleagues, will have to be 21st century pioneers starting from scratch. This is hardly something that should happen in a well-developed community with ample financial reserves such as Hong Kong.
The Democratic Party strongly demands that if the Provisional Urban Council runs into deficit but there are projects that might speed up, the central government should make up for the insufficient allocation of funds. I wish to remind in particular my colleagues in the Urban Council that apart from the reclamation area, there are a lot of municipal facilities requiring improvement, such as the temporary refuse collection points I just mentioned, which should be changed to permanent ones as soon as possible. If the projects were upgraded only after it was confirmed that the $3.5b would not be exhausted, provision of the services concerned would be delayed. This would definitely be denounced by those who are affected. It would also run contrary to the Urban Council's established objective of providing quality municipal services to the community.
Having spoken again here, I support my colleague Mr. WONG Chung-ki's motion. Thank you.
Page 349 of 654
Page 349 of 654
Page 349 of 654
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