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set on putting the blame on us, an elected council, it is just as much as putting the blame on the general public.
Some say the qualities of some Urban Councillors may not be very good and they have not done some things to perfection. I give them credit for saying so. This is an elected set-up. The public has the right to choose. When they elect a new council, they will know if certain members have not done enough. We can look back at set-ups like the Housing Authority or Sports Development Board or even the Transport Advisory Committee. When they have not done well, what can the public say? Government pointed out that the Cross Harbour Tunnel was still congested and that increasing the toll would divert traffic to use the Western Harbour Crossing. Why didn't the TAC consider proposing a toll reduction at the Western Harbour Crossing? I cannot see what good is to become of the future system without the monitoring of elected set-ups. How will the future system be accountable to the public?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. JENNIFER CHOW KIT-BING (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, Mr. CHAN Kwok-leung just now compared Mr. Joseph CHAN to someone who would not complain even if he had eaten a cockroach. I can tell you I am not that kind of person. If there is a cockroach in my food, I will investigate thoroughly and find out the truth.
I think government is steering away from public support by making the avian flu and other incidents the pretext for scrapping the two Municipal Councils. It is very wrong to do so. Nevertheless, I support the amendment motion by Mr. Joseph CHAN because we still have this subjective wish that in the end, government will not act in the way (administrative dictatorship) alleged by Mr. CHAN Kwok-leung.
At present, it is the duty of Urban Councillors to take the plights and voices of the public into the Council. Elected councillors formulate policies in accordance with the way the public sees things. As such, our policies are closer to the way the public feels. Upon scrapping of the Municipal Councils, all policies will be in the hands of government. Officials will formulate policies contrary to public opinion behind closed doors and then sell them to relevant advisory committees and district boards for rubber stamping. If it happens, the situation is bound to be worrying. In actual fact, whose fault was it that resulted in mismanagement of the avian flu incident? Mr. Chan just now mentioned that Mrs Anson CHAN had admitted government's fault in handling the incident. There are scholars who believe major government officials were wrong, Government's use of this incident as the pretext to revamp district organisations, scrap the Municipal Councils and recall power is no more than trumping up charges on us. It is an example of the irresponsible political means of government.
Page 295 of 606
of 606
Page 294 of 606
06
Page 294 of 606
288
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
set on putting the blame on us, an elected council, it is just as much as putting the blame on the general public.
Some say the qualities of some Urban Councillors may not be very good and they have not done some things to persection. I give them credit for saying so. This is an elected set-up. The public has the right to choose. When they elect a new council, they will know if certain members have not done enough. We can look back at set-ups like the Housing Authority or Sports Development Board or even the Transport Advisory Committee. When they have not done well, what can the public say? Government pointed out that the Cross Harbour Tunnel was still congested and that increasing the toll would divert traffic to use the Western Harbour Crossing. Why didn't the TAC consider proposing a toll reduction at the Western Harbour Crossing? I cannot see what good is to become of the future system without the monitoring of elected set-ups. How will the future system be accountable to the public?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. JENNIFER CHOW KIT-BING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, Mr. CHAN Kwok-leung just now compared Mr. Joseph CITAN to someone who would not complain even if he had eaten a cockroach. I can tell you I am not that kind of person. If there is a cockroach in my food, I will investigate thoroughly and find out the truth.
I think government is steering away from public support by making the avian flu and other incidents the pretext for scrapping the two Municipal Councils. It is very wrong to do so. Nevertheless, I support the amendment motion by Mr. Joseph CHAN because we still have this subjective wish that in the end, government will not act in the way (administrative dictatorship) alleged by Mr. CHAN Kwok-leung.
At present, it is the duty of Urban Councillors to take the plights and voices of the public into the Council. Elected councillors formulate policies in accordance with the way the public sees things. As such, our policies are closer to the way the public feels. Upon scrapping of the Municipal Councils, all policies will be in the hands of government. Officials will formulate policies contrary to public opinion behind closed doors and then sell them to relevant advisory committees and district boards for rubber stamping. If it happens, the situation is bound to be worrying. In actual fact, whose fault was it that resulted in mismanagement of the avian flu incident? Mr. Chan just now mentioned that Mrs Anson CHAN had admitted government's fault in handling the incident. There are scholars who believe major government officials were wrong, Government's use of this incident as the pretext to revamp district organisations, scrap the Municipal Councils and recall power is no more than trumping up charges on us. It is an example of the irresponsible political means of government.
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