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073612 MDLIAN 544
MANAGED TO SECURE A MAJORITY AT THE THIRD ROUND OF VOTING. (MORE DETAILS IN MY TELNO 185).
18.
THIS NEW STRUCTURE PROVIDES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TEN FORMAL BILLS COMMITTEES, TO SET UP UNDER THE STANDING ORDERS, TO SCRUTINIZE DRAFT LEGISLATION: A HOUSE COMMITTEE TO REPLACE THE EXISTING LEGCO IN-HOUSE MEETING: AND WORKING GROUPS FOR NON- BILLS AND NON-OMELCO PANEL WORK. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE OMELCO PANELS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED UNTIL ANOTHER REVIEW IN JULY, ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT THIS SHOULD BE DELAYED UNTIL THE NEW MODEL HAS HAD TIME TO SETTLE DOWN.
19. A WORKING PARTY WITH SEVEN MEMBERS (WITH ELSIE TU AS CONVENOR) HAS BEEN FORMED TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS OF THE NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE.
SELECT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS
20. RONALD ARCULLI WAS ELECTED UNOPPOSED CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE AFTER SELNIA CHOW HAD SAID SHE NO LONGER WANTED HER NAME TO BE PUT FORWARD BECAUSE OF CRITICISM ABOUT THE CHAIRMANSHIP GOING TO A NON-ELECTED MEMBER. A MOTION ON THE APPOINTMENT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE WAS MOVED AND CARRIED ON 29 JANUARY.
21. THE COMMITTEE HAD ITS FIRST MEETING ON 31 JANUARY. IT PLANS TO FINISH ITS WORK BY JUNE, AND IS LIKELY TO LOOK INTO PROSPECTIVE CHANGES TO THE 1995 LEGCO ARISING FROM THE NEED TO CONVERGE WITH THE BASIC LAW. MEANWHILE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO SEND IN THEIR WRITTEN VIEWS TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE. (SEE MY TELNO 326).
CHINESE NEW YEAR RECESS
22.
LEGCO IS NOW IN RECESS FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR UNTIL 19
FEBRUARY.
WILSON
YYYY
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