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SCMP Reporter

DISGRUNTLED Regional Councillors have asked for members to pay their way on overseas trips to cut the huge bills incurred.

  Regional councillors Lau Wong-fat and Albert Chan Wai-yip called for more stringent rules on the use of public funds to finance overseas trips, fearing that they could turn into expensive junkets.

   The Regional Council has already paid more than $1.4 million for three trips this year to visit municipal facilities and carry out environmental studies.

  This included $60,000 to pay for three people to visit golf courses and horse riding centres in Singapore and Malaysia in January.

     Last year, the council spent $880,000 - the same amount as in 1991 - on studies abroad.

   The Vice-Chairman of the Regional Council, Dr Pang Hok-tuen, said the budget for each delegation should be monitored more closely by the organising committee.

   ''Some administrative costs of the overseas trips could have been saved. For instance, the money for the business class air ticket and the four-star hotel package could have been cut,'' Dr Pang said.

   He suggested councillors pay for themselves in order to present a ''clean'' public image.

  Mr Lau said that the money saved could contribute to improving public hygiene and promoting recreational activities, which would make Regco more worthwhile.

  Another member, Yim Tin-sang, also criticised the council for spending too much on overseas trips.

  Mr Yim said the public might have doubts over the two municipal councils dealing with their finances because they had more autonomy than other government departments.

  ''The two councils have often been questioned by the public about whether it was necessary to have overseas trips each year,'' he said.

  Two 10-member groups travelled to Europe this summer to study environmental hygiene and recreational activities in France and Germany. They cost $653,000 and $690,000 respectively.

  The accommodation and transport package offered to councillors was on a par with that enjoyed by government officials.

   These expenses accounted for most of the cost for each trip, according to acting secretary for the council, Tse Man-shing.

  More than half of the regional councillors have taken overseas trips this year.

     and some believe the trips are good experience for Regco work.



Regco critical of trips abroad