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Following is a question by the Hon Wong Yuk-man and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, in the Legislative Council today (November 17):
Question:
After the Secretary for Home Affairs (SHA) answered a Legislative Council Member's question concerning the operation of the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association (the Association) on July 14 this year, I have received complaints from parents, elderly persons and kindergarten teachers respectively that the funds allocated for "Happy Bee" teams and ˇ§Golden Guidesˇ¨ of the Association are insufficient, and there are not enough promotion opportunities for "Happy Bee" members. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it knows the number of the Association's "Happy Bee" teams and the number of their members at present, as well as the number of male guiders of "Happy Bee" and the number of male commissioners of various grades;
(b) whether it knows how male members of "Happy Bee" are promoted to "Brownies";
(c) given that SHA has indicated that "a provision in the Association's constitution provides that one of the aims of the Association is to provide girls and young women with the opportunity for self-training in different areas", whether it has assessed if the recruitment of "Happy Bee" male members has breached the Association's constitution and contradicted the aims of its establishment; if it has, of the results;
(d) whether it knows if the Association will recruit male members for "Brownies", "Guides", "Rangers", "Golden Guides" and "Guiders", so that male members can be promoted grade by grade; if it will, when it will do so; if not, the reasons for that;
(e) of the amounts of funds provided by the Government for the "Happy Bee" and "Golden Guide" programmes of the Association in each of the past five years (list in a table);
(f) whether it knows if the establishment of "Happy Bee" teams and the recruitment of male members by the Association have been authorised and recognised by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS); if so, of the date when authorisation and recognition were given; if not, the reasons for that; and
(g) whether it knows if the establishment of "Golden Guide" teams and the recruitment of elderly members by the Association have been authorised and recognised by WAGGGS; if so, of the date when authorisation and recognition were given; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Hong Kong Girl Guides Association (the Association) was established in 1916. It is an independent statutory non-governmental organisation. The Government respects the independence of the Association. My reply to the question of Hon Wong Yuk-man is as follows:
(a) According to the information provided by the Association, the Association has a total of 222 "Happy Bee" teams with 7,769 participants at present. There are neither male guiders nor male commissioners in "Happy Bee" teams.
(b) It is understood that boy members of "Happy Bee" will not be promoted to "Brownies". However, the Association would refer boy participants who are interested in developing themselves through scouting activities to the Scout Association of Hong Kong.
(c) The Constitution of the Association specifies that the Association is established with a view to providing girl guides with the opportunity for self-training in the development of character, responsible citizenship and service to the community.
We understand that "Happy Bee" is one of the service programmes of the Association with the objective of assisting the mental and physical development of pre-school children and this is not in contradiction with the above mentioned aim of establishment. The "Happy Bee" programme admits boy members but they will not become Brownies. This has not breached the Association's Constitution, nor the aims of its establishment. We also understand that the Association has informed the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) of the programme. WAGGGS has no objection to the implementation of the programme by the Association.
(d) We understand that the Association does not recruit male members for "Brownies", "Girl Guides", "Rangers", "Golden Guides" and "Guiders".
(e) The Home Affairs Bureau provides the Association with funding for the promotion of youth development. The Bureau has not provided funding for "Happy Bee" and "Golden Guides" programmes.
(f) & (g) We understand that the Association has informed WAGGGS of the "Happy Bee" and "Golden Guides" programmes. The WAGGGS has no objection to the implementation of the programmes by the Association.
Ends/Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Issued at HKT 12:01
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