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Following is a question by the Hon Lee Wing-tat and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, in the Legislative Council today (November 28):
Question:
I have received complaints from members of the public pointing out that the Government has not fairly allocated the souvenirs and gifts for the 10th anniversary of re-unification to local organisations for distribution to the public at the relevant activities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the total value and quantity of such souvenirs and gifts allocated to various local organisations, as well as the relevant principles and mechanism for allocation;
(b) whether it has informed all political parties, local organisations and District Council members that they may apply to the Government for the allocation of such souvenirs and gifts for distribution to the public during activities; if so, of the relevant details; if not, the reasons for that;
(c) whether certain organisations and political parties which have come to know that such souvenirs and gifts are available for allocation had written to the relevant government department(s) on their own initiative, asking for the allocation of such items for distribution; if so and if such requests have been acceded to, whether the Government has assessed if such a practice is unfair, and if this may encourage local organisations to write to the Government on their own initiative to ask for the allocation of souvenirs and gifts, whenever such items are available for allocation;
(d) whether it has received any complaints concerning members of political parties that they have taken the opportunity of distributing such souvenirs and gifts to promote the political parties to which they belong; if so, of the details; and
(e) whether it will review the practice of allocating souvenirs and gifts to local organisations?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Government organised a series of activities in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas this year to mark this significant occasion. The Government also encouraged different sectors of the community to organise territory-wide and district-based events, so that more people could take part in different types of celebration activities and shared the festive joy, thus having a greater sense of belonging to Hong Kong.
The former Celebrations Coordination Office coordinated and spent a total of $5,148,200 on the production of 852,800 souvenirs for distribution by government departments and local organisations to the participants at celebration activities. In view of the enthusiastic response from local organisations in organizing celebration activities, the Home Affairs Department allocated an additional $299,000 for the production of 115,000 paper fans for distribution by local organisations at celebration activities. Certain government departments also produced their own souvenirs to mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR for distribution at some activities.
Activities in celebration of the 10th anniversary organised by local organisations, if approved by the Government, would be included in the celebration programme. The host organisations may use the 10th anniversary official logo and promotional videos for publicity purposes. They could also request the Government to provide souvenirs produced for the 10th anniversary for distribution at the relevant activities.
Individual organisations or bodies could also decide whether they should produce their own souvenirs and gifts for distribution at their activities in celebration of the 10th anniversary.
(b) & (c) The purpose of distributing souvenirs by the Government was to enhance the festive atmosphere of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. As mentioned above, the organisers of activities included in the celebration programme could request the Government to provide souvenirs produced for the 10th anniversary for distribution at the activities. The Government did not request political parties or District Council members to assist with the distribution of souvenirs, nor had it received any offer from political parties or District Council members to assist with the distribution.
(d) The Government has received one complaint about the distribution of souvenirs. The Hon LEE Wing-tat referred a citizen's complaint in September against a member of a political party for distributing paper fans produced by the Home Affairs Department for personal publicity. The Government has looked into the matter and explained to the Hon LEE that the distribution of souvenirs concerned aimed to call on the public to participate in the 10th anniversary celebration and was not intended to promote any political party. In future, to ensure that Government¡¦s souvenirs are used for the specified purposes (i.e. for distribution at activities), the Government will remind local organisations that they should only distribute souvenirs on the occasions specified by the Government, so as to avoid misunderstanding. Any souvenirs that have not been distributed have to be returned to the relevant authorities.
(e) We consider that distribution of souvenirs at activities is an effective means to enhance the atmosphere of the activities. We have no plan to change the practice at this stage.
Ends/Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:20
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