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Council away. For that reason, I hope very much that you, my colleagues, will not participate in Council work merely for your own sakes. I firmly believe that all of us participate in such work for the sake of the public, but please do not forget that we have the responsibility to participate in urban services work for the Urban Council's sake too. Unless we do that, this Council will not be able to provide the citizens with the requisite services.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
"THE HON. MOK YING-FAN (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman and Colleagues, 1997 was a very important year in the history of Hong Kong. It marked the end of the colonial epoch and the beginning of a new era. The former Government House, which witnessed the rise and fall of Hong Kong for nearly a century, also accomplished its historical mission that year.
The former Government House itself has triggered many arguments. Should it be used for holding birthday feasts or hosting banquets for heads of states? Should it be open to the public? An opinion survey conducted by the Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood revealed that a great majority of the public favoured the conversion of the former Government House to a museum. 90% of the respondents even considered that the practice of opening the former Government House to the public each year for viewing the beauty of Azaleas in blossom should be maintained. I certainly agree that it is most cost-effective for the former Government House to be open to the public as this serves to achieve the objective of ‘enjoying together with the public'.
Being the Chairman of the Museums Select Committee, I think that it is most appropriate to convert the former Government House into a historical museum where photos and articles of historic significance about Hong Kong since its inception will be on display. This will enable our descendants to know the present by reviewing the past and have a better understanding and knowledge of the colonial history of Hong Kong.
Undeniably, Hong Kong had made remarkable achievements and development under the British rule. Up till now, the strenuous efforts made for more than a century have resulted in prosperity. All these cannot be grossly disregarded.
After the handover, some anti-British dramas started to be put on the stage by intention or otherwise. For example, a drama depicting residents in the New Territories putting up resistance against the British was presented earlier on. I hope that it is not a deliberate arrangement to discredit the history of the former colony,
In fact, I think that colony is a segment in the long span of human history. From the sociological and sociopolitical perspective, it carries a special meaning, especially when the existing colonies are now changing. If we look at
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Council away. For that reason, I hope very much that you, my colleagues, will mot participate in Council work merely for your own sakes. I firmly believe that all of us participate in such work for the sake of the public, but please do inot forget that we have the responsibility to participate in urban services work Ifor the Urban Council's sake too. Unless we do that, this Council will not be
able to provide the citizens with the requisite services.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
"THE HON. MOK YING-FAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman and Colleagues, 1997 was a very important year in the history of Hong Kong. It marked the end of the colonial epoch and the beginning of a new era. The former Government House, which witnessed the rise and fall of Hong Kong for nearly a century, also accomplished its historical mission that year.
The former Government House itself has triggered many arguments. Should it be used for holding birthday feasts or hosting banquets for heads of states? Should it be open to the public? An opinion survey conducted by the Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood revealed that a great majority of the public favoured the conversion of the former Government House to a museum. 90% of the respondents even considered that the practice of opening the former Government House to the public each year for viewing the beauty of Azaleas in blossom should be maintained. I certainly agree that it is most cost-effective for the former Government House to be open to the public as this serves to achieve the objective of ‘enjoying together with the public'.
Being the Chairman of the Museums Select Committee, I think that it is most appropriate to convert the former Government House into a historical museum where photos and articles of historic significance about Hong Kong since its inception will be on display. This will enable our descendants to know the present by reviewing the past and have a better understanding and knowledge of the colonial history of Hong Kong.
Undeniably, Hong Kong had made remarkable achievements and development under the British rule. Up till now, the strenuous efforts made for more than a century have resulted in prosperity. All these cannot be grossly disregarded.
After the handover, some anti-British dramas started to be put on the stage by intention or otherwise. For example, a drama depicting residents in the New Territories putting up resistance against the British was presented earlier on. I hope that it is not a deliberate arrangement to discredit the history of the former colony,
In fact, I think that colony is a segment in the long span of human history. From the sociological and sociopolitical perspective, it carries a special mcaning, especially when the existing colonies are now changing. If we look at
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