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(5) The latest information. When CE answered Mr. Ambrose CHEUNG's follow-up question at the Legislative Council after the release of the Annual Address, he clearly indicated that the avian flu incident had reflected deficiencies in several aspects:
(i) there were inherent problems with our environmental hygiene; (ii) the same incident was handled by too many government bodies; (iii) the absence of a unified and centrally coordinated system was highly undesirable;
(iv) hence we were not blaming the Urban Council for anything. These five reasons are adequate proofs. I hope both the public and the mass media will act fairly instead of relaying a wrong message. There are many people who want the Councils to wind up. We don't mind, but please come up with better excuses. Please don't force the blame for the avian flu incident upon the Councils. There is the Chinese saying of 'one would rather be killed than be disgraced.' I would change it to 'the Councils would rather be dissolved than be blamed for something they have not done.' I hope everyone will treat this case in a fair manner. I believe that curses come home to roost for those who treat us unfairly.
Lastly, I would conclude my speech for the day with the couplet at the entrance to the Happy Valley Cemetery, which in English is equivalent to 'the path of glory leads but to the grave'. I am sure Members are aware that the fate of District Board members, who are highly exalted today, will be no different from that of the Kaifong Associations, which were also highly exalted in the old days. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MS. JENNIFER CHOW KIT-BING (in Cantonese):-I wish to denounce the Government's approach in dissolving the Councils with the title of the Policy Address just delivered by the Chief Executive, that is, 'From Adversity to Opportunity'. Indeed, a number of government departments have been working with concerted efforts and intensive concentration to find out the quickest way to eliminate the two Municipal Councils. They are bent on putting forth a proposal which offers no guarantee for success even at the risk of having memberless-councils next year. On the contrary, the government departments have not been as efficient and effective in introducing financial reforms in face of the present economic recession, so much so that the public still have no idea of the future prospect of Hong Kong after listening to the Policy Address. I am of the opinion that if the officials had worked for the economic revival of Hong Kong with as much enthusiasm as they had in dissolving the Councils, it would have been more conducive to boosting the confidence of the people of Hong Kong and more in the interests of the public.
On this issue of dissolving the Councils, the Government is heading for the goal of 'turning from adversity to opportunity' and not vice versa. This is a very arbitrary move, for the Government will be destroying with one stroke an elected system which has been in existence for one century and which the
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248
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
(5) The latest information. When CE answered Mr. Ambrose CHEUNG's follow-up question at the Legislative Council after the release of the Annual Address, he clearly indicated that the avian flu incident had reflected deficiencies in several aspects:
(i) there were inherent problems with our environmental hygiene; (ii) the same incident was handled by too many government bodies; (iii) the absence of a unified and centrally coordinated system was
highly undesirable;
(iv) hence we were not blaming the Urban Council for anything. These five reasons are adequate proofs. I hope both the public and the mass media will act fairly instead of relaying a wrong message. There are many people who want the Councils to wind up. We don't mind, but please come up with better excuses. Please don't force the blame for the avian flu incident upon the Councils. There is the Chinese saying of 'one would rather be killed. than be disgraced. I would change it to the Councils would rather be dissolved than be blamed for something they have not done.' I hope everyone will treat this case in a fair manner. I believe that curses come home to roost for those who treat us unfairly.
Lastly, I would conclude my speech for the day with the couplet at the entrance to the Happy Valley Cemetery, which in English is equivalent to 'the path of glory leads but to the grave'. I am sure Members are aware that the fate of District Board members, who are highly exalted today, will be no different from that of the Kaifong Associations, which were also highly exalted in the old days. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MS. JENNIFER CHOW KIT-BING (in Cantonese):-I wish to denounce the Government's approach in dissolving the Councils with the title of the Policy Address just delivered by the Chief Executive, that is, 'From Adversity to Opportunity'. Indeed, a number of government departments have been working with concerted efforts and intensive concentration to find out the quickest way to eliminate the two Municipal Councils. They are bent on putting forth a proposal which offers no guarantee for success even at the risk of having memberless-councils next year. On the contrary, the government departments have not been as efficient and effective in introducing financial reforms in face of the present economic recession, so much so that the public still have no idea of the future prospect of Hong Kong after listening to the Policy Address. I am of the opinion that if the officials had worked for the economic revival of Hong Kong with as much enthusiasm as they had in dissolving the Councils, it would have been more conducive to boosting the confidence of the people of Hong Kong and more in the interests of the public.
On this issue of dissolving the Councils, the Government is heading for the goal of 'turning from adversity to opportunity' and not vice versa. This is a very arbitrary move, for the Government will be destroying with one stroke an elected system which has been in existence for one century and which the
606
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