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Following is a question by Dr Hon Kenneth Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, in the Legislative Council today (June 11):
Question:
Since 2011, Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) has received funding from the Government for implementing Project Phoenix, a three-year project to revive football in Hong Kong. It has been reported that the Football Task Force (FTF) under the Home Affairs Bureau has recently recommended that the Government continue to fund the project for five years, and requested HKFA to delete the post of Technical Director. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the authorities had, before FTF made the aforesaid recommendation, conducted a comprehensive review of Project Phoenix and prepared a report on such a review; if they had, whether they can make public the whole report; if they cannot make public the report, of the reasons for that; if they had not conducted such a review, of the justifications which FTF and the authorities had based when they deliberated on whether to continue to fund Project Phoenix;
(2) whether the authorities will consult different stakeholders before making the decision on whether to continue to fund Project Phoenix; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) given that the funding period was set at three years when the Government provided funding for Project Phoenix for the first time in 2011, of the justifications for FTF¡¦s current recommendation of extending the funding period to five years;
(4) whether it knows the details of the plan for the next round of work, estimates of expenditure, work schedule, performance indicators and review mechanism for Project Phoenix after its funding support has been extended; and
(5) as HKFA has originally planned to organise matches for the Hong Kong Professional Football League (HKPFL) under Project Phoenix in the 2014-2015 football season but it has been reported that so far two local First Division teams have declined to join HKPFL, whether it knows if HKFA will organise HKPFL matches as scheduled; if HKFA will, of the details; if HKFA will not, the relevant arrangements?
Reply:
President,
(1), (3) and (4) At its meeting in May this year, the Football Task Force (FTF) examined a progress report on the implementation of Project Phoenix submitted by the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) and the HKFA's five-year strategic plan. The FTF also had a preliminary discussion on whether the Government should allocate resources to support the five-year strategic plan upon the expiry of the funding for implementing Project Phoenix. The FTF has yet to make a final decision, pending the submission of further detailed information by the HKFA. The FTF's decision would be discussed by the Sports Commission (SC) before the Secretary for Home Affairs makes a final decision.
(2) The HKFA has all along been involving its stakeholders in preparing the five-year strategic plan. The membership of FTF and SC include members from various backgrounds who are familiar with football development.
(5) The HKFA plans to introduce the Hong Kong Premier League in the coming football season as planned.
Ends/Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:55
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