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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 3945 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 24 January 2007 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE MRS RITA FAN HSU LAI-TAI, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, S.B.S., S.B.ST.J., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, S.C., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LUI MING-WAH, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG 3946 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE BERNARD CHAN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG, G.B.S. THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHOY SO-YUK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 3947 THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT THE HONOURABLE LI KWOK-YING, M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE DANIEL LAM WAI-KEUNG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MA LIK, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG 3948 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG HOK-MING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG PROF THE HONOURABLE PATRICK LAU SAU-SHING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT JINGHAN CHENG THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHI-KIN THE HONOURABLE TAM HEUNG-MAN MEMBER ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, G.B.S., J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, PLANNING AND LANDS THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN IP SHU-KWAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LABOUR DR THE HONOURABLE SARAH LIAO SAU-TUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND WORKS THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK MA SI-HANG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN LAM SUI-LUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 3949 THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LEE SIU-KWONG, I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY DR THE HONOURABLE YORK CHOW YAT-NGOK, S.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, WELFARE AND FOOD CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR RICKY FUNG CHOI-CHEUNG, J.P., SECRETARY GENERAL MS PAULINE NG MAN-WAH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 3950 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Clerk, please ring the bell. There are only 21 Members here and a quorum is not present. (After the summoning bell had been rung, a number of Members entered the Chamber) PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): A quorum is now present. The meeting will start now. TABLING OF PAPERS The following paper was laid on the table pursuant to Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Official Languages (Alteration of Text under Section 4D) (References to Citation of Various Items of Legislation in Chinese) Order ....................................... 7/2007 ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. Operation of Hong Kong Wetland Park 1. MRS SELINA CHOW (in Cantonese): President, regarding operation of the Hong Kong Wetland Park (HKWP) since its opening in May 2006, will the Government inform this Council: (a) of the respective monthly attendance of HKWP since its opening; how these figures compare to the original forecasts; and whether the HKWP authority can cope with the above attendance in terms of venue management and crowd control; (b) whether it has systematically sought visitors' views on HKWP; if it has, of their overall comments; and LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 3951 (c) given that there were complaints during the initial period following HKWP's opening that some visitors smoked in the open area of HKWP and left behind cigarette butts, whether the situation has improved so far; and of the measures adopted by the HKWP authority to comply with the no-smoking requirements of the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 2006, which has come into operation since 1 January 2007? SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LABOUR (in Cantonese): Madam President, (a) The Hong Kong Wetland Park (the Park) received 900 000 visitors from its opening in May 2006 to end December 2006. The average monthly visitor number is over 120 000, with about 2 000 to 3 000 on weekdays and 8 000 to 10 000 during weekends and public holidays. Patronage so far has been encouraging, which is higher than the estimation of 540 000 per year made in 2002, indicating that this world-class conservation, education and tourism facility has been well-received by the public. Since the opening of the Park, we have, in the light of our operational experience, continued to enhance and improve the Park's service and facilities. Measures include increasing coach drop-off spaces, improving the drop-off and pick-up arrangement at the entrance area, increasing ticketing counters during weekends and public holidays, deploying additional manpower to maintain cleanliness of the surroundings, erection of additional information signage in the Park, and planting of more trees and placing temporary marquees in the outdoor areas to provide more shelters for visitors. For the convenience of visitors to the Park, more pedestrian and vehicle direction signs have been installed, and more are planned to be installed in the vicinity of the Park. Moreover, we have been liaising closely with the travel industry through seminars and briefings to enhance the trade's knowledge of the Park's facilities and conservation concepts as well as to collect user feedback and discuss ways to refine tour admission arrangements so as to improve crowd management. We consider that the current 3952 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 venue and crowd management measures adopted by the Park is adequate to meet public demand. (b) The Park has been conducting visitor surveys by means of questionnaires, and using the survey results as reference for improving its operation, service and exhibits. As shown by the survey, over 85% of the respondents indicated that they were satisfied with the Park's facilities and would visit it again; over 90% of the respondents would introduce the Park to their family members and friends; some 60% of the visitors spent two to four hours in the Park. The most popular facilities in descending order were Mangrove Boardwalk, Wetland World Gallery, Bird Hides, Wetland Challenge Gallery and Human Culture Gallery. (c) During the initial period after its opening, the Park did receive reports that smoking and cigarette studs were found in the outdoor areas. Apart from encouraging the visitors not to smoke, the Park has promptly erected additional advisory notices, stepped up patrolling, and strengthened publicity and education efforts in this regard. The situation has improved considerably. So far, the Park has issued summons to 12 visitors for littering or plucking plants. Since 1 January 2007, the Park has been designated as a no-smoking area. Following the guidelines of the Tobacco Control Office under the Department of Health, the Park has drawn up and issued operational manual to all staff responsible for taking enforcement action. Moreover, posters and notices have been placed at prominent locations of the Park to remind visitors of the no-smoking requirement. MRS SELINA CHOW (in Cantonese): President, I am very glad to hear the Secretary say that the patronage so far has been higher than the estimated number and this proves that this investment by the Government is a great success. May I ask the Secretary, in gauging the views of the visitors, whether any complaint has been received about visitors watching birds being disturbed by LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 24 January 2007 3953 children making noises? This is the response we have actually learned from the media. May I ask what the Secretary has done in this regard to prevent such things from happening? Does it include more preparations before the children are admitted, that is, before they enter the Bird Hides, so that such undesirable conduct can be prevented? SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LABOUR (in Cantonese): The answer is yes.