1998 — Page 420

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 420 of 606

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408

PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL

In such a severe political climate, the SAR Government goes a step further by dissolving the Municipal Councils, whereby centralizing the powers on culture and arts originally vested in the people. This move will undoubtedly arouse people's suspicion. Earlier on, Xu Simin criticized in Beijing the Radio Television Hong Kong for being unable to function as a government mouthpiece. The Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa and the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. D.H.T. LAN, had repeatedly emphasized the importance of patriotic education. There were comments that the Hong Kong Government, just like the Communist regime, only favoured the sort of culture and arts involving consumption of a superficial nature, so as to show the prosperity of a place. As to Hong Kong which is being hollowed out, they would not care to inject into it any cultural concept. There was also a report that Mr. TUNG Chee-hwa wished to promote patriotic education, but officials indicated to him that the Municipal Councils were in control of most of the resources and so the Government virtually could do nothing about it. Perhaps, the former Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr. CHAU Tak-hay's remark about himself being “a general without any soldiers at his command" can be a footnote for the report. As seen from the various signs, the SAR Government's purpose of scrapping the Municipal Councils is all too clear. It can also be certain that SAR officials do have an attitude of trying to avoid any mistakes rather than striving for any achievements. To set up a new policy bureau or to introduce a policy-making committee is only a way of putting in their own folks. A new set-up may still be a continuation of the old problems for another 50 years without change. Or perhaps, the only difference is that the opening hours of a museum can be lengthened at the order of a bureau secretary, while the motions of the Municipal Councils which have been passed for over 2 years have not yet been implemented.

After reunification, the SAR Government has always talked about cultural policy as if it were able to give a definition to 'culture', and differentiate a certain category of living from the others. In this way, the cultural policy can be formulated just in the same way as the housing policy. Culture, however, is the accumulation of the social experiences of a place, and simply should not be confined to a particular category. When the SAR Government keeps on saying that the cultural policy has to be re-defined, what actually is it referring to? Of course, we understand that if one wants to play a sly trick on concept, it is all the more inappropriate to elaborate on the definition, in the hope that all the people concerned will nourish their own hopes, so as to reduce the possibilities of being challenged for the Government's scrapping of the Councils and centralization of power.

We note that the consultancy report on food hygiene is ultimately aimed at benefiting the Government without any streamlining of structure and improvement of efficiency. Similarly, I reckon that the consultancy recommendations on the re-structuring of culture and arts machinery made by the former Director of Urban Services, Mr. Albert LAM Chi-chiu, will also be...

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Page 420 of 606 006 Page 420 of 606 408 PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL In such a severe political climate, the SAR Government goes a step further by dissolving the Municipal Councils, whereby centralizing the powers on culture and arts originally vested in the people. This move will undoubtedly arouse people's suspicion. Earlier on, Xu Simin criticized in Beijing the Radio Television Hong Kong for being unable to function as a government mouthpiece. The Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa and the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. D.H.T. LAN, had repeatedly emphasized the importance of patriotic education. There were comments that the Hong Kong Government, just like the Communist regime, only favoured the sort of culture and arts involving consumption of a superficial nature, so as to show the prosperity of a place. As to Hong Kong which is being hollowed out, they would not care to inject into it any cultural concept. There was also a report that Mr. TUNG Chee-hwa wished to promote patriotic education, but officials indicated to him that the Municipal Councils were in control of most of the resources and so the Government virtually could do nothing about it. Perhaps, the former Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr. CHAU Tak-hay's remark about himself being “a general without any soldiers at his command" can be a footnote for the report. As seen from the various signs, the SAR Government's purpose of scrapping the Municipal Councils is all too clear. It can also be certain that SAR officials do have an attitude of trying to avoid any mistakes rather than striving for any achievements. To set up a new policy bureau or to introduce a policy-making committee is only a way of putting in their own folks. A new set-up may still be a continuation of the old problems for another 50 years without change. Or perhaps, the only difference is that the opening hours of a museum can be lengthened at the order of a bureau secretary, while the motions of the Municipal Councils which have been passed for over 2 years have not yet been implemented. After reunification, the SAR Government has always talked about cultural policy as if it were able to give a definition to 'culture', and differentiate a certain category of living from the others. In this way, the cultural policy can be formulated just in the same way as the housing policy. Culture, however, is the accumulation of the social experiences of a place, and simply should not be confined to a particular category. When the SAR Government keeps on saying that the cultural policy has to be re-defined, what actually is it referring to? Of course, we understand that if one wants to play a sly trick on concept, it is all the more inappropriate to elaborate on the definition, in the hope that all the people concerned will nourish their own hopes, so as to reduce the possibilities of being challenged for the Government's scrapping of the Councils and centralization of power. We note that the consultancy report on food hygiene is ultimately aimed at benefiting the Government without any streamlining of structure and improvement of efficiency. Similarly, I reckon that the consultancy recommendations on the re-structuring of culture and arts machinery made by the former Director of Urban Services, Mr. Albert LAM Chi-chiu, will also be... £606 Page 420 Page 421 Page 421 of 606

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Page 420 of 606 006 Page 420 of 606 408 PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL In such a severe political climate, the SAR Government goes a step further by dissolving the Municipal Councils, whereby centralizing the powers on culture and arts originally vested in the people. This move will undoubtedly arouse people's suspicion. Earlier on, Xu Simin criticized in Beijing the Radio Television Hong Kong for being unable to function as a government mouthpiece. The Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa and the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. D.H.T. LAN. had repeatedly emphasized the importance of patriotic education. There were comments that the Hong Kong Government, just like the Communist regime, only favoured the sort of culture and arts involving consumption of a superficial nature, so as to show the prosperity of a place. As to Hong Kong which is being hollowed out, they would not care to inject into it any cultural concept. There was also a report that Mr. TUNG Chee-hwa wished to promote patriotic education, but officials indicated to him that the Municipal Councils were in control of most of the resources and so the Government virtually could do nothing about it. Perhaps, the former Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr. CHAU Tak-hay's remark about himself being “a general without any soldiers at his command" can be a footnote for the report. As seen from the various signs, the SAR Government's purpose of scrapping the Municipal Councils is all too clear. It can also be certain that SAR officials do have an attitude of trying to avoid any mistakes rather than striving for any achievements. To set up a new policy bureau or to introduce a policy-making committee is only a way of putting in their own folks. A new set-up may still be a continuation of the old problems for another 50 years without change. Or perhaps, the only difference is that the opening hours of a museum can be lengthened at the order of a bureau secretary, while the motions of the Municipal Councils which have been passed for over 2 years have not yet been implemented. After reunification, the SAR Government has always talked about cultural policy as if it were able to give a definition to 'culture', and differentiate a certain category of living from the others. In this way, the cultural policy can be formulated just in the same way as the housing policy. Culture, however, is the accumulation of the social experiences of a place, and simply should not be confined to a particular category. When the SAR Government keeps on saying that the cultural policy has to be re-defined, what actually is it referring to? Ol course, we understand that if one wants to play a sly trick on concept, it is al the more inappropriate to elaborate on the definition, in the hope that all the people concerned will nourish their own hopes, so as to reduce the possibilities of being challenged for the Government's scrapping of the Councils anc centralization of power. We note that the consultancy report on food hygiene is ultimately aimed a benefiting the Government without any streamlining of structure anc improvement of efficiency. Similarly, I reckon that the consultancy recommendations on the re-structuring of culture and arts machinery made by the former Director of Urban Services, Mr. Albert LAM Chi-chiu, will also b •£606 Page 420Page 421 Page 421 of 606

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Page 420 of 606

006

Page 420 of 606

408

PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL

In such a severe political climate, the SAR Government goes a step further by dissolving the Municipal Councils, whereby centralizing the powers on culture and arts originally vested in the people. This move will undoubtedly arouse people's suspicion. Earlier on, Xu Simin criticized in Beijing the Radio Television Hong Kong for being unable to function as a government mouthpiece. The Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa and the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. D.H.T. LAN. had repeatedly emphasized the importance of patriotic education. There were comments that the Hong Kong Government, just like the Communist regime, only favoured the sort of culture and arts involving consumption of a superficial nature, so as to show the prosperity of a place. As to Hong Kong which is being hollowed out, they would not care to inject into it any cultural concept. There was also a report that Mr. TUNG Chee-hwa wished to promote patriotic education, but officials indicated to him that the Municipal Councils were in control of most of the resources and so the Government virtually could do nothing about it. Perhaps, the former Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr. CHAU Tak-hay's remark about himself being “a general without any soldiers at his command" can be a footnote for the report. As seen from the various signs, the SAR Government's purpose of scrapping the Municipal Councils is all too clear. It can also be certain that SAR officials do have an attitude of trying to avoid any mistakes rather than striving for any achievements. To set up a new policy bureau or to introduce a policy-making committee is only a way of putting in their own folks. A new set-up may still be a continuation of the old problems for another 50 years without change. Or perhaps, the only difference is that the opening hours of a museum can be lengthened at the order of a bureau secretary, while the motions of the Municipal Councils which have been passed for over 2 years have not yet been implemented.

After reunification, the SAR Government has always talked about cultural policy as if it were able to give a definition to 'culture', and differentiate a certain category of living from the others. In this way, the cultural policy can be formulated just in the same way as the housing policy. Culture, however, is the accumulation of the social experiences of a place, and simply should not be confined to a particular category. When the SAR Government keeps on saying that the cultural policy has to be re-defined, what actually is it referring to? Ol course, we understand that if one wants to play a sly trick on concept, it is al the more inappropriate to elaborate on the definition, in the hope that all the people concerned will nourish their own hopes, so as to reduce the possibilities of being challenged for the Government's scrapping of the Councils anc centralization of power.

We note that the consultancy report on food hygiene is ultimately aimed a benefiting the Government without any streamlining of structure anc improvement of efficiency. Similarly, I reckon that the consultancy recommendations on the re-structuring of culture and arts machinery made by the former Director of Urban Services, Mr. Albert LAM Chi-chiu, will also b

•£606

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