1 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL -- 27 November 1991
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1 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL -- 27 November 1991 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL -- 27 November 1991 1 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 27 November 1991 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock PRESENT THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JOHN JOSEPH SWAINE, C.B.E., Q.C., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE SIR DAVID ROBERT FORD, K.B.E., L.V.O., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE NATHANIEL WILLIAM HAMISH MACLEOD, J.P. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE HONOURABLE JEREMY FELL MATHEWS, C.M.G., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALLEN LEE PENG-FEI, C.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN CHEONG KAM-CHUEN, C.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS RITA FAN HSU LAI-TAI, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI YIN-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, Q.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NGAI SHIU-KIT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PANG CHUN-HOI, M.B.E. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EDWARD HO SING-TIN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONALD JOSEPH ARCULLI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN GILBERT BARROW, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS PEGGY LAM, M.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WAH-SUM, O.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LEONG CHE-HUNG THE HONOURABLE JAMES DAVID McGREGOR, O.B.E., I.S.O., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS ELSIE TU, C.B.E. THE HONOURABLE PETER WONG HONG-YUEN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP PROF THE HONOURABLE EDWARD CHEN KWAN-YIU THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG HOI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE MOSES CHENG MO-CHI THE HONOURABLE MARVIN CHEUNG KIN-TUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG REV THE HONOURABLE FUNG CHI-WOOD THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY HA WING-HO, M.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL HO MUN-KA DR THE HONOURABLE HUANG CHEN-YA THE HONOURABLE SIMON IP SIK-ON, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CONRAD LAM KUI-SHING THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK THE HONOURABLE MISS EMILY LAU WAI-HING THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT THE HONOURABLE GILBERT LEUNG KAM-HO THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING THE HONOURALBE MAN SAI-CHEONG THE HONOURABLE NG MING-YUM THE HONOURABLE STEVEN POON KWOK-LIM THE HONOURABLE HENRY TANG YING-YEN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TIK CHI-YUEN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN DR THE HONOURABLE SAMUEL WONG PING-WAI, M.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG ABSENT THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH DR THE HONOURABLE LAM KUI-CHUN PROF THE HONOURABLE FELICE LIEH MAK, O.B.E., J.P. IN ATTENDANCE MR GRAHAM BARNES, C.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS MRS ANSON CHAN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES MR YEUNG KAI-YIN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY MR JOHN CHAN CHO-CHAK, L.V.O., O.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER MRS ELIZABETH WONG CHIEN CHI-LIEN, I.S.O., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE MR JAMES SO YIU-CHO, O.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE MR JOSEPH YAM CHI-KWONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS THE CLERK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MR LAW KAM-SANG Papers The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Standing Order 14(2): Subject Subsidiary Legislation L.N. No. Designation of Libraries (Urban Council Area) (No. 4) Order 1991.................................................. 415/91 Designation of Museums (Hong Kong Museum of Art) Order 1991...................................................... 416/91 Public Health and Municipal Services (Civic Centres) (Amendment of Thirteenth Schedule) (No. 2) Order 1991.................................................. 417/91 Specification of Public Office........................................... 418/91 Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance 1991 (Commencement) Notice 1991................................... 419/91 Sessional Papers 1991-92 No. 21 -- Report of changes to the approved Estimates of Expenditure approved during the First Quarter of 1991-92 Public Finance Ordinance : Section 8 No. 22 -- Ocean Park Corporation Annual Report 1990-91 No. 23 -- Hong Kong Sports Institute (Jubilee Sports Centre) Annual Report 1990-91 Addresses by Members Report of changes to the approved Estimates of Expenditure approved during the First Quarter of 1991-92 Public Finance Ordinance : Section 8 SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY: Mr Deputy President, in accordance with section 8(8)(b) of the Public Finance Ordinance, I now table for Members' information a summary of all changes made to the approved estimates of expenditure for the first quarter of the financial year 1991-92. Supplementary provision of $154.4 million was approved. It was fully offset either by savings under the same or other heads of expenditure or by the deletion of funds under the Additional Commitments subheads. During the period, non-recurrent commitments were increased by $555.1 million, new non-recurrent commitments of $142.0 million were approved and approved non- recurrent commitments of $68.2 million were revoted. In the same period, a net decrease of 812 posts was approved. Items in the summary have been approved either by Finance Committee or under delegated authority. The latter has been reported to the Finance Committee in accordance with section 8(8)(a) of the Public Finance Ordinance. Ocean Park Corporation Annual Report 1990-91 MR RONALD ARCULLI: Mr Deputy President, tabled before the Council is the Ocean Park Corporation's Annual Report for 1990-91. In the past financial year to 3 June 1991, Ocean Park (including Water World and Middle Kingdom) welcomed some 2.4 million visitors. This total represents an annual increase of 11% and is a record for the Park since it opened in 1977. Operating income for Ocean Park rose by 25% this past year to another record of $242 million. Net operating surplus amounted to $46 million, a 9% increase, again, the highest ever. These excellent results are all the more remarkable, when we take into account the destabilizing global events of the past year, most notably the Middle East crisis and its subsequent detrimental effects on Hong Kong tourism. Unfortunately, as revenues and profits increased, so also did operating expenses rise -- by 19%, to $153 million. This unusual increase is mainly attributable to the full-year operation of Middle Kingdom, compared with only six months in its previous first year. However, financial viability has not been the Park's sole objective, but merely a means of achieving its broader corporate goals. In the spirit of accomplishing these objectives, the year 1990-91 saw the development of various educational pursuits, as well as increased commitment to scientific research. The most exciting new attraction was undoubtedly the $39 million Shark Aquarium, opened nearly a year ago in December 1990. The Merry-Go-Round was introduced for younger visitors and live entertainment expanded too. The success of such attractions has assured the management of Ocean Park that the provision of top quality family entertainment is the direction of the future. Ocean Park's most ambitious project of 1991 will open in December when the 70-metre Ocean Park Tower is completed. The facility is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Uppermost in the minds of the Park's directors has been to supply these outstanding facilities at affordable prices. In May this year, the Park announced a combined admission charge of $140 for Ocean Park and the Middle Kingdom, previously two separate attractions. To further emphasize the added value and to reinforce the Park's position as a family entertainment venue, a new admission policy has been introduced, permitting children under 12 years and senior citizens aged 60 or above free entry. The Park will continue to review the situation to ensure that a portion of its operating surplus is directly passed on to visitors. Finally, in relation to the Ocean Park Trust Fund, I am happy to report that the Fund has had a successful year. The year-end value of Ocean Park's investment portfolio of the Ocean Park Trust Fund rose to a total of $211 million. In summary, this has been an all round successful year for Ocean Park and the Park looks forward to another successful year in 1991-92 as we begin a major five-year expansion plan. Oral answers to questions Land Development Corporation 1. MR FREDERICK FUNG asked (in Cantonese): Will the Government inform this Council: (a) what criteria and procedures are adopted by the Land Development Corporation for formulating plans of urban renewal; (b) secondly, whether landowners and tenants affected by the redevelopment projects of the Land Development Corporation would be fairly compensated and properly rehoused; and (c) thirdly, whether the Government and the Land Development Corporation have plans to review and reform existing principles, polices and arrangements? (d) fourthly, some owners would like me to reflect the following point. They would like me to show you this, that is, you have given the LDC a very important and powerful sword -- has this been abused? Thank you. SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS: Mr Deputy President, I have notice of the first three parts of that question but not the last and I am not going to attempt, at this stage, to answer the last part.