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VIII. Culture, Leisure and Municipal Services
Culture and Sport
180. Cultural and sports activities are part of a quality lifestyle. The Government will continue to improve and enhance relevant facilities to provide more favourable conditions for the development of culture, arts and sport in Hong Kong.
181. From 2015-16, a range of cultural and arts facilities in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) will be made available in stages. Work on the Xiqu Centre has commenced, and the construction of a park, the Arts Pavilion and M+ will start within this year. To support WKCD development, the Government will seek funding to construct an integrated basement in the WKCD. The WKCD Authority will strictly control costs, taking function as the primary consideration. To dovetail with the development of the WKCD, the Government will continue to develop arts programmes, build the audience base, promote arts education and nurture talent.
182. To enhance the promotion of local art and bring in more international exhibitions, the Hong Kong Museum of Art will undergo major renovation and expansion to improve facilities and services for visitors. A new gallery will also be built to display the works of local artists.
183. Committed to providing more cultural and arts facilities and venues, the Government plans to build a cross-district community cultural centre in Ngau Tau Kok, which will comprise an auditorium with about 1 200 seats and a theatre with about 550 seats. It will become a major cultural facility in Kowloon East upon completion.
184. Our strategy for sports development is to promote sport in the community, support elite sport and maintain Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events. The Government will seek funding for the construction of additional indoor sports centres in Sha Tin and Tuen Mun to meet the needs of local residents, schools and sports associations.
185. The Multi-purpose Sports Complex at Kai Tak is a major sports project. The Government will continue to accord priority to its planning and maintain close liaison with stakeholders, with a view to commencing advance works for the project in 2015.
Municipal Services
186. Facilities in some public markets are less than satisfactory. The Government is conducting a study on improvements to the operating environment of public markets, including their functions and positioning, factors affecting their competitiveness, public expectations and ways to retain hawker trades with traditional characteristics. The consultant is expected to submit preliminary study findings in mid-2014.
IX. Constitution and Administration
Constitutional Development
187. The Government is committed to advancing constitutional development and achieving the objective of selecting the Chief Executive by way of universal suffrage in 2017 in strict compliance with the Basic Law and the Interpretation and Decisions of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and after extensive public consultation. A public consultation on the methods for selecting the Chief Executive in 2017 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2016 was officially launched last month. The Government will collate the views received and commence the "Five-step Process" of constitutional development.
District Administration
188. At the Summit on District Administration held some two months ago, I proposed to strengthen the role of District Officers (DOs) to enable them to co-ordinate the work of different departments at the district level with District Councils (DCs), and respond actively to public aspirations having regard to the district situation. I have decided to introduce a pilot scheme in Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long, providing the District Management Committees chaired by DOs with the decision-making power to tackle the management and environmental hygiene problems of some public areas. The DCs will advise on the work priorities. The Government will provide additional manpower and resources to implement the pilot scheme, which will help consolidate our experience and shed light on effective ways to progressively take forward the concept of "addressing district issues at the local level and capitalising on local opportunities" on a larger scale.
189. From this year, the Government has increased the expense reimbursements for DC members, including an increase of 34% in real terms in the Operating Expenses Reimbursement. Moreover, we will review and announce the honorarium arrangement for DC members within this year.
Upholding the Core Values
190. The rule of law is vital for safeguarding our rights and freedoms. It is also the cornerstone for maintaining Hong Kong's status as an international financial and commercial centre. The Government will continue to comply fully with the requirements of the Basic Law, take necessary measures to further promote the Basic Law, progressively strengthen our legal system and enhance our legal infrastructure. We will also uphold justice and core values such as human rights, clean governance, freedom and democracy.
The Civil Service
191. To maintain quality and efficient administration, the Government must rely on a professional, clean and dedicated civil service. I wish to extend my gratitude to our civil servants for their commitment to serving the community with tenacity and passion. I will continue to maintain close and candid communication with them, listen to their views and enhance our mutual understanding and mutual trust. The Government will provide more training opportunities for civil servants. We will encourage and provide subsidies for them to attend training courses and exchange programmes to deepen their understanding of national development. In the coming year, the Government will proceed with the planning for a new Families Clinic and enhance specialised dental services for civil servants. We will also expedite eight departmental quarters projects for disciplined services, aiming at providing more than 2 200 flats by 2020.
(To be continued)
Ends/Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:58
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