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Written by: Jie Zhu
2019-12-25 07:00
Last updated: 2019-12-25 07:00At Christmas again, the multi-district councils will allocate funds each year to purchase or sponsor festive lights, hoping to add a festive atmosphere. However, with the change of district council, many citizens re-examined their past appropriations and found that many district councils spent nearly one million to purchase lighting fixtures, but their designs were severely criticized. Among them, the lighting in Dapu District not only obscures street signs and road signs, but also has the same style every year, but this does not mean that the lighting is environmentally friendly and reused. "Hong Kong 01" reviewing the documents of the District Councils found that the District Councils allocate funds every year to purchase Same lighting.
Multi-district conferences will approve annual funding for the purchase of Christmas and New Year lighting. This year, it will cost between RMB 710,000 in Tai Po District and RMB 2.5 million in Yuen Long District. However, the reporter visited the scene in Dapu and found that the lighting design did not take into account the needs of the public. Take the light painting of Baoxiang Bridge in Dapu as an example. Although more than 100,000 yuan has been applied for, the pavement below the light painting is narrow and only one corner of the lighting can be photographed. If viewed from the opposite side, there are often buses and trees blocking some lights. Painting, it is difficult for passers-by to "check in" to remember. The nearby lighting at Baoxiang Street partially obscures street signs and road signs. Even though the total length of the road is about 270 meters, the light plate is located right in front of the road sign, blocking the sight of pedestrians and drivers, or even affecting road traffic safety, with serious consequences.
The official certificate purchases the same lighting every year
From the photos taken every year for the Tai Po District Council, it is found that the lighting styles that have been hung on Baoxiang Street and Four Mile Park for the past five years are exactly the same. However, according to the 2019 District Council documents, two lighting fixtures have been allocated more than 100,000 yuan in the past three years for lighting design and installation (2019: 130,000 yuan / 2018: 130,000 yuan / 2017: 103,000 yuan).
The reporter called the chairman of the Tai Po District Council, Huang Bijiao, to confirm that she acknowledged that the two places use the same lighting every year and that the same contractor is responsible. Although the lighting is the same year after year, Huang Bijiao said that the district council does not own the lighting, so the funds allocated by the council are mainly for installation and electricity. Huang Bijiao explained that she had asked the contractor to redesign the lighting, but the contractor quoted more than one million yuan. She pointed out that the District Councils currently do not have a warehouse to store these lighting fixtures, and even if there is a warehouse, they must also consider whether the new year contractor is willing to use the old resources.
According to a photograph of a photo studio webpage of lighting for the Tai Po District Council, it has been found that the lighting styles hanging on Baoxiang Street have been the same for many years. (Zhu Qian Studio. Screenshots of Studio FB)
The 2019 District Council documents show that Baoxiang Street and Four Mile Park Lighting have applied for a total of 130,000 yuan in funding. (Screenshot of District Council documents)
Huang Bijiao, chairman of the Tai Po District Council and the DAB, acknowledged that it is not good to stir up old lighting every year, but pointed out that it would cost more to change to a new one. (Profile picture)
According to Ren Qibang, a district council member of Yifu District, Tai Po, according to the current procedures of the district council, district councillors cannot use documents to determine whether the winning contractor sells reused lighting to the council at the price of new lighting. In the past few years, the contractor has not seen any price reduction due to "reuse" of lighting. He believes that if the district council owns the lighting, only the contractor can be installed every year to save public money and promote environmental protection. He also suggested that the Home Affairs Department could integrate the lighting resources in the 18 districts, recycle them every year, and even exchange lighting with other districts.
District Council Member Yi Kai Pong of Yifu District, Tai Po pointed out that in the past few years, contractors have not seen any price reductions due to reuse of lighting. (Photo by Deng Yingtao)
Regarding residents 'dissatisfaction with the design of "old-fashioned" and unchanged, Ren Qibang proposed that more open for residents to participate, such as holding an inter-school lighting design competition, using winner design to strengthen residents' sense of belonging. He also pointed out that in the past parliaments were mostly formed, and even if questioned, appropriations would still be approved. He hopes that after the change of parliament, there will be a new climate, more careful use of puppets, and a more transparent review process.
Zheng Tai, a merchant at Baoxiang Street, said that instead of appropriating new lighting every year, public funds should be used to help the poor. (Photo by Deng Yingtao)
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