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financial situation of each organization in a bid to reduce expenditure in the new financial year?
MR. PAO PING-WING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, Mr. Lam raised two follow-up questions. In one of them he asked whether the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra had made any efforts in promoting local talents and the development of music. I have a vague idea that they do carry out such kind of work say, in schools. As to the details, I don't have them with me. Perhaps I will give them to Mr. Lam after the meeting.
In the second follow-up question, Mr. Lam mentioned that recently a high-ranking government official criticized the Council for allocating a major portion of its resources in the form of subsidy to the Council's three performing companies, namely the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Dance Company and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. I am glad that Mr. Lam raised the question, so that I have the chance to give all those who are present a clarification. This high-ranking government official was quite wrong. He gave the wrong information to the media. However, being deeply influenced by Confucianism, the Council is hesitant to point out one's mistake right away and therefore I did not issue any press release right away. Neither did the Chairman make any statement that the senior official had provided wrong information. The senior official criticized the Council for overspending and one of such acts was to allocate the majority of the cultural resources to its three performing companies.
The question raised by Mr. Lam just now is a very clear one. According to the publicly released financial figures of the Council, the amount of resources spent in subsidizing external cultural bodies is greater than that in subsidizing the Council's three performing companies. In other words, the Council has shown equal concern for local cultural and arts groups not under its auspices, and the Council's care provided to them, including that in the form of subsidy, venue, performance arrangements and other programmes, is catered to their needs. I am therefore glad that Mr. Lam has given me a chance to clarify the doubts in the capacity of the Chairman of the Culture Select Committee and to point out that the high-ranking government official was wrong.
In addition, Mr. Lam considered that there might be need to make good use of the opportunity to conduct a review of the subsidization for the external performing arts groups as well as those under the Council.
Just as the principle cited by Ms. Ada WONG, I consider this to be a good suggestion. I therefore strongly believe that when the Council conducts a comprehensive review of the existing system, the issue of subsidization for both the external and internal performing arts groups will be covered.
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financial situation of each organization in a bid to reduce expenditure in the new financial year?
MR. PAO PING-WING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, Mr. Lam raised two follow-up questions. In one of them he asked whether the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra had made any efforts in promoting local talents and the development of music. I have a vague idea that they do carry out such kind of work say, in schools. As to the details, I don't have them with me. Perhaps I will give them to Mr. Lam after the meeting.
In the second follow-up question, Mr. Lam mentioned that recently a high- ranking government official criticized the Council for allocating a major portion of its resources in the form of subsidy to the Council's three performing companies, namely the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Dance Company and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. I am glad that Mr. Lam raised the question, so that I have the chance to give all those who are present a clarification. This high-ranking government official was quite wrong. He gave the wrong information to the media. However, being deeply influenced by Confucianism, the Council is hesitant to point out one's mistake right away and therefore I did not issue any press release right away. Neither did the Chairman make any statement that the senior official had provided wrong information. The senior official criticized the Council for overspending and one of such acts was to allocate the majority of the cultural resources to its three performing companies.
The question raised by Mr. Lam just now is a very clear one. According to the publicly released financial figures of the Council, the amount of resources spent in subsidizing external cultural bodies is greater than that in subsidizing the Council's three performing companies. In other words, the Council has shown equal conceru for local cultural and arts groups not under its auspices, and the Council's care provided to them, including that in the form of subsidy, venue, performance arrangements and other programmes, is catered to their needs. I am therefore glad that Mr. Lam has given me a chance to clarify the doubts in the capacity of the Chairman of the Culture Select Committee and to point out that the high-ranking government official was wrong.
In addition, Mr. Lam considered that there might be need to make good use of the opportunity to conduct a review of the subsidization for the external performing arts groups as well as those under the Council.
Just as the principle cited by Ms. Ada WONG, I consider this to be a good suggeston. I therefore strongly believe that when the Council conducts a comprehensive review of the existing system, the issue of subsidization for both the external and internal performing arts groups will be covered.
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