WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1979
30
GOVERNOR PAYS TRIBUTE TO LEGCO MEMBERS
******
THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) PAID TRIBUTE TO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE IR TASK AND THE IMMENSE CONTRIBUTION THEY MAKE TO THE GOOD GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR MURRAY SAID THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FAR-OFF TIME WHEN HONG KONG WAS A COMPARATIVELY SMALL AND UNCOMPLICATED PLACE, AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL MADE SMALLER DEMANDS ON THE TIME AND ENERGY OF MEMBERS.
+BUT NOW IT INVOLVES A TASK WHICH IS AS ARDUOUS AS IT IS IMPORTANT. IT CALLS FOR A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY WHICH CAN BE SUSTAINED ONLY BY PEOPLE WHO ARE BOTH HIGHLY MOTIVATED, AND WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE, FROM AMONGST THEIR MEMBERSHIP, A VERY WIDE SPREAD OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE,+ HE SAID.
SIR MURRAY WELCOMED THE TWO NEW UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO THE COUNCIL -- THE HON. HU FA-KUANG AND THE HON. WONG PO-YAN.
HE SAID THEIR APPOINTMENT INVOLVED MEMBERSHIP OF TWO INTERLOCKING BODIES - THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND UMELCO THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
HE SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ITSELF HAD THE FINAL WORD ON LEGISLATION AND EXPENDITURE PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT- AND THAT ALL UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE MEMBERS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE WHICH HAD SUB-COMMITTEES DEALING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND ESTABLISHMENT.
NOTING THAT THE UMELCO IS A BODY UNIQUE TO HONG KONG, SIR MURRAY SAID +WORKING GROUPS OF MEMBERS STUDY ALL ASPECTS OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, AND RECEIVE AND CONSIDER REPRESENTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC ABOUT LEGISLATION OR OTHER ACTION PROPOSED OR TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT, THIS IS VITAL AND TIME-CONSUMING WORK.+
+UMELCO IS SUPPORTED BY ITS OWN SECRETARIAT, AND ITS MEMBERS PERFORM A KEY ROLE IN RECEIVING, AND ACTING ON, COMPLAINTS AND ENQUIRIES FROM THE PUBLIC, HE ADDED.
THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS GLAD THAT THE MEANS OF REDRESS AVAILABLE IN UMELCO WERE WELL USED.
131