1997 — Page 612

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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL

would replace Members or the arrangement would prolong the meetings. Why? These are not the core of the problem at all. Members have come here to attend meetings and if the meetings drag on, they naturally should be prepared.

As for the proposal of requiring the Director to answer questions on behalf of the Committee Chairmen at the monthly meetings, in fact Members are well aware of the source of the replies provided by the Committee Chairmen at cach meeting. It is none other than the Department itself.

The motion moved by Mr. LAI Hok-lim today is simply to provide a means to require the Director to speak here so that a record in black and white could be made to let Members and the public clearly know under a transparent situation whether the Department has faithfully carried out the policies formulated by the Council.

1 therefore hope that Members will not condone the Department anymore or whenever this sort of proposal is put up, resort to the attitude of wait-and- see, or ask for further examination, consideration or another option, as a result of which the proposal eventually comes to nothing.

Mr. Chairman, this is but a minor part or step in the entire reformation of the Department and the Council. I hope everyone will accept this minor step. Let us take the first step by conducting an examination and doing something pragmatic to improve the system of monitoring the Department's performance. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

MR. ERIC WONG CHUNG-KI (in Cantonese):—My view on the motion is that it is a simple one aimed at giving an additional chance not only to Members of the Council but also to the public to find out the Department's efficiency in carrying out its duties and whether it is doing its work in accordance with the Council's decisions and policies.

I have looked through the questions raised by the Council. I am not going to quote other questions. I will just quote the one raised by Mr. Lai Hok-lim and that is, "What criteria are adopted in working out the schedule of the opening and closing hours of the Council's public toilets?'

Such a question is related to administration. How can we expect the Chairman of the Committee concerned to provide the various details of implementation on behalf of the Department? The question must be answered by the Department and if any mistake was committed in implementation, it would not be fair either to require the Committee Chairman to make an explanation.

As far as the entire operation of the Council is concerned, it is therefore perfectly appropriate for the Department to answer questions before the public and Members. I hope that the other political parties will not object to this motion on one pretext or the other. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.