1997 — Page 492

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 492 of 654

HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL

487

■ recession in democracy will take place in Hong Kong is a very important Done. The former Legislative Council in Hong Kong was overthrown, the Councillors were asked to leave, and the Provisional Legislative Council was Established. That was the first recession in democracy. Actually, most of the Existing Members of the Provisional Urban Council had been elected by one whole per person or through District Board elections. This council system, originally formed by election, was abolished and strangled. That was the second recession in democracy in Hong Kong. I wish to put forward some points from various perspectives. Firstly, irrespective of the name that will be given to this Council, its powers should not be slashed. As our colleague Mr. LAI Hok-lim just mentioned, the Council's so-called powers, instead of being cut, should even be increased through the establishment of organisations like urban services tribunals. You have heard Mr. LAI Hok-lim's suggestions which, in fact, aimed at facilitating the public and improving the services. Therefore, our call for preventing the slashing of powers is not merely empty talk. Secondly, culture and arts should not be judged and controlled by officials. Thirdly, the composition of councillors directly elected by the public should not decrease. This so-called composition is an adequate reflection of the proportional number and powers of directly elected members, and the abolition of appointed seats is a matter of course. Let us look at the issue from the angle of council development. In the history of Hong Kong, a considerable number of the members of the last Legislative Council under the British Hong Kong administration had been members of two district organisations. In fact, district organisations trained talented personnel to handle local and administrative affairs. From the above angle, we feel that the relationship between the Urban Council and the District Boards could be re-examined, but such a review should not result in a recession in democracy.

With these remarks, I support the motion. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

MR. ERIC WONG Chung-ki (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman and Colleagues, I am actually speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party today on the question of sanitation in housing estates under the Housing Department and the Housing Authority. For details relating to this question, please refer to the relevant minutes of meeting. I just wish to add a few points here. It was recently announced that the Housing Department was one of the 5 departments that are least popular with the public and with which the public are most dissatisfied. This shows that Members of this Council have exceptional insight by calling attention to many of the problems relating to that department.

We had come up with many suggestions when discussing the question of sanitation in housing estates. This question was also recently studied by the committees concerned. One suggestion was that we can attend the meetings of the estate management advisory committees. But the fact is, the Housing Department does not quite like the idea of us, elected Urban Councillors,

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Page 492 of 654 Page 492 of 654 HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL 487 ■ recession in democracy will take place in Hong Kong is a very important Done. The former Legislative Council in Hong Kong was overthrown, the Councillors were asked to leave, and the Provisional Legislative Council was Established. That was the first recession in democracy. Actually, most of the Existing Members of the Provisional Urban Council had been elected by one whole per person or through District Board elections. This council system, originally formed by election, was abolished and strangled. That was the second recession in democracy in Hong Kong. I wish to put forward some points from various perspectives. Firstly, irrespective of the name that will be given to this Council, its powers should not be slashed. As our colleague Mr. LAI Hok-lim just mentioned, the Council's so-called powers, instead of being cut, should even be increased through the establishment of organisations like urban services tribunals. You have heard Mr. LAI Hok-lim's suggestions which, in fact, aimed at facilitating the public and improving the services. Therefore, our call for preventing the slashing of powers is not merely empty talk. Secondly, culture and arts should not be judged and controlled by officials. Thirdly, the composition of councillors directly elected by the public should not decrease. This so-called composition is an adequate reflection of the proportional number and powers of directly elected members, and the abolition of appointed seats is a matter of course. Let us look at the issue from the angle of council development. In the history of Hong Kong, a considerable number of the members of the last Legislative Council under the British Hong Kong administration had been members of two district organisations. In fact, district organisations trained talented personnel to handle local and administrative affairs. From the above angle, we feel that the relationship between the Urban Council and the District Boards could be re-examined, but such a review should not result in a recession in democracy. With these remarks, I support the motion. Thank you Mr. Chairman. MR. ERIC WONG Chung-ki (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman and Colleagues, I am actually speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party today on the question of sanitation in housing estates under the Housing Department and the Housing Authority. For details relating to this question, please refer to the relevant minutes of meeting. I just wish to add a few points here. It was recently announced that the Housing Department was one of the 5 departments that are least popular with the public and with which the public are most dissatisfied. This shows that Members of this Council have exceptional insight by calling attention to many of the problems relating to that department. We had come up with many suggestions when discussing the question of sanitation in housing estates. This question was also recently studied by the committees concerned. One suggestion was that we can attend the meetings of the estate management advisory committees. But the fact is, the Housing Department does not quite like the idea of us, elected Urban Councillors, Page 492 of 651 Page 492 of 654

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Page 492 of 654 Page 492 of 654 HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL 487 ■ recession in democracy will take place in Hong Kong is a very important Done. The former Legislative Council in Hong Kong was overthrown, the Councillors were asked to leave, and the Provisional Legislative Council was Established. That was the first recession in democracy. Actually, most of the Existing Members of the Provisional Urban Council had been elected by one wole per person or through District Board elections. This council system, originally formed by election, was abolished and strangled. That was the second recession in democracy in Hong Kong. I wish to put forward some points from various perspectives. Firstly, irrespective of the name that will be given to this Council, its powers should not be slashed. As our colleague Mr. ILAI Hok-lim just mentioned, the Council's so-called powers, instead of being cut, should even be increased through the establishment of organisations like wurban services tribunals. You have heard Mr. LAI Hok-lim's suggestions which, in fact, aimed at facilitating the public and improving the services. Therefore, our call for preventing the slashing of powers is not merely empty malk. Secondly, culture and arts should not be judged and controlled by officials. Thirdly, the composition of councillors directly elected by the public should not decrease. This so-called composition is an adequate reflection of the Iproportional number and powers of directly elected members, and the abolition of appointed seats is a matter of course. Let us look at the issue from *the angle of council development. In the history of Hong Kong, a considerable number of the members of the last Legislative Council under the British Hong Kong administration had been members of two district organisations. In fact, district organisations trained talented personnel to handle local and administrative affairs. From the above angle, we feel that the relationship between the Urban Council and the District Boards could be re-examined, but such a review should not result in a recession in democracy. With these remarks, I support the motion. Thank you Mr. Chairman. MR. ERIC WONg Chung-ki (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman and Colleagues, I am actually speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party today on the question of sanitation in housing estates under the Housing Department and the Housing Authority. For details relating to this question, please refer to the relevant minutes of meeting. I just wish to add a few points here. It was recently announced that the Housing Department was one of the 5 departments that are least popular with the public and with which the public are most dissatisfied. This shows that Members of this Council have exceptional insight by calling attention to many of the problems relating to that department. We had come up with many suggestions when discussing the question of sanitation in housing estates. This question was also recently studied by the committees concerned. One suggestion was that we can attend the meetings of the estate management advisory committees. But the fact is, the Housing Department does not quite like the idea of us, elected Urban Councillors, Page 492 of 651 Page 492 of 654

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Page 492 of 654

HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL

487

■ recession in democracy will take place in Hong Kong is a very important Done. The former Legislative Council in Hong Kong was overthrown, the Councillors were asked to leave, and the Provisional Legislative Council was Established. That was the first recession in democracy. Actually, most of the Existing Members of the Provisional Urban Council had been elected by one wole per person or through District Board elections. This council system, originally formed by election, was abolished and strangled. That was the second recession in democracy in Hong Kong. I wish to put forward some points from various perspectives. Firstly, irrespective of the name that will be given to this Council, its powers should not be slashed. As our colleague Mr. ILAI Hok-lim just mentioned, the Council's so-called powers, instead of being cut, should even be increased through the establishment of organisations like wurban services tribunals. You have heard Mr. LAI Hok-lim's suggestions which, in fact, aimed at facilitating the public and improving the services. Therefore, our call for preventing the slashing of powers is not merely empty malk. Secondly, culture and arts should not be judged and controlled by officials. Thirdly, the composition of councillors directly elected by the public should not decrease. This so-called composition is an adequate reflection of the Iproportional number and powers of directly elected members, and the abolition of appointed seats is a matter of course. Let us look at the issue from *the angle of council development. In the history of Hong Kong, a considerable number of the members of the last Legislative Council under the British Hong Kong administration had been members of two district organisations. In fact, district organisations trained talented personnel to handle local and administrative affairs. From the above angle, we feel that the relationship between the Urban Council and the District Boards could be re-examined, but such a review should not result in a recession in democracy.

With these remarks, I support the motion. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

MR. ERIC WONg Chung-ki (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman and Colleagues, I am actually speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party today on the question of sanitation in housing estates under the Housing Department and the Housing Authority. For details relating to this question, please refer to the relevant minutes of meeting. I just wish to add a few points here. It was recently announced that the Housing Department was one of the 5 departments that are least popular with the public and with which the public are most dissatisfied. This shows that Members of this Council have exceptional insight by calling attention to many of the problems relating to that department.

1997 — Page 492

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