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MS. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese):—Let me first of all thank all those Members who support my original motion. I wish to respond briefly to the speeches made by some of them.
Mr. Mok Ying-fan proposed that the formulation of policies should be left to the various select committees. I have reservation about this point. The reasons for today's muddled and inadequate policies are none other than the lack of a set of comprehensive policies. Even the Recreation Select Committee, which is responsible for discussing the provision of recreation venues, has difficulties in deciding some matters concerning art or public art. Since there are numerous venues under the Council, the public tend to regard all the venues as Council venues. They would not regard certain venues as belonging to a certain select committee. I therefore hope that the select committees concerned will follow up on this hand in hand. I recommend that a working group be set up under the Standing Committee, in which the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman of the various select committees will work out the set of policies as quickly as possible. Public consultation should also be made after the policies are worked out.
I thank Mr. PAO Ping-wing for considering that my original motion is comprehensive enough. I would like to take the opportunity to clarify that there is nothing in my motion that says all of the Council's venues or any of them should be used for the display of works of art. I do not have such an intention at all. In fact, I have clearly stated that we should examine the Council's venues to identify the suitable ones and then designate them as suitable places for the display of public art. These places may be used for short-term display by artists or long-term display of large pieces of creative sculpture commissioned by the Council. I hope Members will give their agreement over this point.
Mr. Joseph LAI pointed out that I did not mention Mr. Wu Chi-wai's amended motion. My view is that if we succeed in laying down and implementing the policies on art and culture, we will be embodying the freedom of speech and expression because we are making good use of the public areas. I consider that my original motion has already covered the points raised in Mr. Wu's amended motion.
Mr. WU Chi-wai was correct in saying that after two years' thorough discussion, the Working Group on Drafting the Culture Select Committee's Five-year Plan had clearly stipulated this principle in the plan. The major principle of preserving freedom of creation and expression has also been made a duty of the Culture Select Committee.
I had pondered over Mr. Wu Chi-wai's amended motion. I was still picking my choice when I had lunch just now. I consider that I cannot object to the amended motion. This is a very strange decision, which reminds me of the case of the Pillar of Shame. If you did not accept it, others would criticize you for being unrighteous. This is quite a paradox, but I believe that the idea of public
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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
MS. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese):—Let me first of all thank all those Members who support my original motion. I wish to respond briefly to the speeches made by some of them.
Mr. Mok Ying-fan proposed that the formulation of policies should be left to the various select committees. I have reservation about this point. The reasons for today's muddled and inadequate policies are none other than the lack of a set of comprehensive polices. Even the Recreation Select Committee, which is responsible for discussing the provision of recreation venues, has difficulties in deciding some matters concerning art or public art. Since there are numerous venues under the Council, the public tend to regard all the venues as Council venues. They would not regard certain venues as belonging to a certain select committee. I therefore hope that the select committees concerned will follow up on this hand in hand. I recommend that a working group be set up under the Standing Committee, in which the Chainnan or the Vice-Chairman of the various select committees will work out the set of policies as quickly as possible. Public consultation should also be made after the policies are worked out.
I thank Mr. PAO Ping-wing for considering that my original motion is comprehensive enough. I would like to take the opportunity to clarify that there is nothing in my motion that says all of the Council's venues or any of them should be used for the display of works of art. I do not have such an intention at all. In fact I have clearly stated that we should examine the Council's venues to identify the suitable ones and then designate them as suitable places for the display of public art. These places may be used for short-term display by artists or long-term display of large pieces of creative sculpture commissioned by the Council. I hope Members will give their agreement over this point.
Mr. Joseph LAI pointed out that I did not mention Mr. Wu Chi-wai's amended motion. My view is that if we succeed in laying down and implementing the policies on art and culture, we will be embodying the freedom of speech and expression because we are making good use of the public areas. I consider that my original motion has already covered the points raised in Mr. Wu's amended motion.
Mr. WỤ Chi-wai was correct in saying that after two years' thorough discussion, the Working Group on Drafting the Culture Select Committee' Five-year Plan had clearly stipulated this principle in the plan. The major principle of preserving freedom of creation and expression has also been made a duty of the Culture Select Committee.
I had pondered over Mr. Wu Chi-wai's amended motion. I was still picking my choice when I had lunch just now. I consider that I cannot object to the amended motion. This is a very strange decision, which reminds me of the case of the Pillar of Shame. If you did not accept it, others would criticize you for being unrighteous. This is quite a paradox, but I believe that the idea of public
Page 219 of 606
10 of 606
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