Page 384 of 606
Page 384 of 606
372
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
There are now more than 200,000 unemployed people in Hong Kong and unemployment and underemployment rates have reached their peaks over the past 20 years. How can the Council act against the Government's policy of alleviating unemployment and create another 767 no-income households?
Moreover, with a view to turning crises into opportunities, the SAR Government has called for the creation of more job opportunities and will help individual citizens start their own business. The Chief Executive Mr. TUNG Chee-hwa has also pledged to promote the sense of worthiness of the elderly. How can the Council do exactly the opposite and take such stringent action against these 767 elderly people who are only striving to earn their own living? Their request is "We do not want to rely on social security assistance. Let us rely on ourselves and earn our own living". How will our Councillors respond to them?
Furthermore, one of the reasons for our Councillors' objection to the Government's proposal to scrap the Municipal Councils is that the Government had not consulted the Municipal Councils beforehand. Based on the same logic and rationale, why does the Provisional Urban Council continue with the across-the-board deletion of Itinerant Hawker Licences without first consulting the affected traders? Can we not admit that this is double standard?
Actually, the IHLs are reducing in number quickly through natural attrition. There were 782 IHLs in mid-December 1998 but in less than 20 days, 15 of them have been automatically cancelled by the time of the meeting on 5 January 1999. It is evident that the remaining IHLs are in a speedy countdown to extinction through natural attrition. So, why should the Council be so merciless as to hasten the process?
Lastly, Councillors insisting on the across-the-board deletion of all IHLs should be reminded of the reality that there will still be legally valid IHLs in the New Territories next year no matter whether the PUC is still in the service of the public. Therefore, why must the PUC be so bull-headed as to root out all IHL holders in the urban area? I beg the mercy of the stubborn Councillors to spare these victims!
In sum, the tragedy of WONG burning himself to death in the Court was not accidental. It reflects the lack of a comprehensive and sound hawker policy in Hong Kong. The hawker problem will intensify the social rivalry when unemployment and underemployment worsen. As a responsible municipal council, the Provisional Urban Council must make thorough introspection in order not to inadvertently hurt the innocent. As a responsible administration, the SAR Government should take timely action to conduct a thorough review and to formulate a sound hawker policy.
Finally, I wish that Councillors who object to dealing with the long-standing problem by virtue of natural attrition would be more open-minded, so that this
Page 384 of 606
Page 384 of 606
372
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
There are now more than 200 000 unemployed people in Hong Kong and unemployment and underemployment rates have reached their peaks over the past 20 years. How can the Council act against the Government's policy of alleviating unemployment and create another 767 no-income households?
Moreover, with a view to turning crises into opportunities, the SAR Government has called for the creation of more job opportunities and will help individual citizens start their own business. The Chief Executive Mr. TUNG Chee-hwa has also pledged to promote the sense of worthiness of the elderly. How can the Council do exactly the opposite and take such stringent action against these 767 elderly people who are only striving to earn their own living? Their request is "We do not want to rely on social security assistance. Let us rely on ourselves and earn our own living". How will our Councillors respond to them?
Furthermore, one of the reasons for our Councillors' objection to the Government's proposal to scrapped the Municipal Councils is that the Government had not consulted the Municipal Councils beforehand. Based on the same logic and rationale, why does the Provisional Urban Council continue with the across-the-board deletion of Itinerant Hawker Licences without first consulting the affected traders? Can we not admit that this is double standard?
Actually, the IHLs are reducing in number quickly through natural attrition. There were 782 IHLs in mid-December 1998 but in less than 20 days, 15 of them have been automatically cancelled by the time of the meeting on 5 January 1998. It is evident that the remaining IHLs are in a speedy countdown to extinction through natural attrition. So, why should the Council be so merciless as to hasten the process?
Lastly, Councillors insisting on the across-the-board deletion of ali ¡HLs should be reminded of the reality that there will still be legally valid IHLs in the New Territories next year no matter whether the PUC is still in the service of the public. Therefore, why must the PUC be so bull-headed as to root out all IHL holders in the urban area? I beg the mercy of the stubborn Councillors to spare these victims!
In sum, the tragedy of WONG burning himself to death in the Court was not accidental. It reflects the lack of a comprehensive and sound hawker policy in Hong Kong. The hawker problem will intensify the social rivalry when unemployment and underemployment worsen. As a responsible municipal council, the Provisional Urban Council must make thorough introspection in order not to inadvertently hurt the innocent. As a responsible administration, the SAR Government should take timely action to conduct a thorough review and to formulate a sound hawker policy.
Finally, I wish that Councillors who object to dealing with the long-standing problem by virtue of natural attrition would be more open-minded, so that this
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