Page 505 of 654
or 654
Page 505 of 654
500
# HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
stamping out illegal hawking and only launched one or two clearing operations in response to complaints or follow-up actions taken by the Councillors. I consider that the Department and Housing Department should relinquish their bureaucratic practice and, acting on a tacit agreement, regularly carry out joint raiding operations to clear unlicensed hawkers. Above all, instead of just responding to complaints, proactive measures should be taken to prevent unlicensed hawkers from taking advantage of the lack of coordination between the two Departments or their inconsistent policies to continue their business.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
MR. KWOK BIT-CHUN (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, at the Council's monthly meeting in June last year, I moved the motion: 'Resolved that the Council should enhance the promotion of popularization of visual arts and actively consider subsidizing local groups to promote relevant activities at the district level.' Although the amended motion moved by the Democratic Party out of political consideration was carried by the Council instead, the spirit of the original motion was still retained in the amended one. Members shared the view that the Council should conduct a review as soon as possible and come up with a new policy for the promotion of visual arts, particularly a policy for subsidizing such arts form. The most important of all was to be far-sighted and take pragmatic actions to popularize 'community-oriented' visual arts. However, after the endorsement of the amended motion, it seems that the issue has completely been forgotten. I strongly request that the Urban Services Department and the Council should, at the beginning of a new year, actively plan and promote a scheme for subsidizing visual arts. Modelled on the existing "Artist-in-Residence Scheme' for the performing arts, the subsidy scheme for visual arts should be 'community-oriented', aiming at assisting local bodies and community groups to develop and popularize visual arts so that the general public may have the opportunity to come into contact with it. Visual arts include children's drawing, handicraft, wood carving, rock carving, metal welding, pottery, plaster modelling, oil painting, water-colour painting, Chinese painting, calligraphy, fan painting, sketch, relief, lithograph, art glass, plane and stereo paper art etc.
Actually, as far back as 20 years ago, the Hong Kong Government already adopted a 'community-oriented' approach to supplement the 'school-oriented' approach in promoting and popularizing arts. The Music Office, which was established in that year for the promotion and popularization of music education, also targeted its work at the district level. Part of its work was to assist in the setting up of Children's Choirs in various administrative districts. As for the development of instrumental training, the plan was that there would be a music centre for every two administrative districts. Officers from the district offices of the Music Office's Music Promotion Section spared no effort in helping schools promote music among their students. They made coordinations and arrangements for Music Office's music groups and other
Page 505Page 506
Page 506 of 654
Page 505 of 654
or 654
Page 505 of 654
500
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
stamping out illegal hawking and only launched one or two clearing operations in response to complaints or follow-up actions taken by the Councillors. I consider that the Department and Housing Department should relinquish their bureaucratic practice and, acting on a tacit agreement, regularly carry out joint raiding operations to clear unlicensed hawkers. Above all, instead of just responding to complaints, proactive measures should be taken to prevent unlicensed hawkers from taking advantage of the lack of coordination between the two Departments or their inconsistent policies to continue their business.
Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion.
MR. KWOK BIT-CHUN (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, at the Council's monthly meeting in June last year, I moved the motion: 'Resolved that the Council should enhance the promotion of popularization of visual arts and actively consider subsidizing local groups to promote relevant activities at the district level.' Although the amended motion moved by the Democratic Party out of political consideration was carried by the Council instead, the spirit of the original motion was still retained in the amended one. Members shared the view that the Council should conduct a review as soon as possible and come up with a new policy for the promotion of visual arts, particularly a policy for subsidizing such arts form. The most important of all was to be far-sighted and take pragmatic actions to popularize 'community-oriented' visual arts. However, after the endorsement of the amended motion, it seems that the issue has completely been forgotten. I strongly request that the Urban Services Department and the Council should, at the beginning of a new year, actively plan and promote a scheme for subsidizing visual arts. Modelled on the existing "Artist-in-Residence Scheme' for the performing arts, the subsidy scheme for visual arts should be 'community-oriented', aiming at assisting local bodies and community groups to develop and popularize visual arts so that the general public may have the opportunity to come into contact with it. Visual arts include children's drawing, handicraft, wood carving, rock carving, metal welding, pottery, plaster modelling, oil painting, water-colour painting, Chinese painting, calligraphy, fan painting, sketch, relief, lithograph, art glass, plane and stereo paper art etc.
Actually, as far back as 20 years ago, the Hong Kong Government already adopted a 'community-oriented' approach to supplement the 'school-oriented' approach in promoting and popularizing arts. The Music Office, which was established in that year for the promotion and popularization of music education, also targeted its work at the district level. Part of its work was to assist in the setting up of Children's Choirs in various administrative districts. As for the development of instrumental training, the plan was that there would be a music centre for every two administrative districts. Officers from the district offices of the Music Office's Music Promotion Section spared no effort in helping schools promote music among their students. They made coordinations and arrangements for Music Office's music groups and other
Page 505Page 506
Page 506 of 654
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.