WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1981
23
DELAY IN LAW OF PROPERTY BILL RAPPED
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THE GOVERNMENT'S DELAY IN PRODUCING AN IMPORTANT LAW HIGHLIGHTED A DEFECT IN ITS CONSULTATIVE PROCESS, THE HON PETER C. WONG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE SAID NO ONE WOULD DISPUTE THE VALUE AND NECESSITY OF CONSULTATION ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE.
BUT FOR SUCH A SYSTEM TO WORK WELL, HE SAID, IT MUST BE FLEXIBLE AND CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING MAXIMUM RESULTS IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME.
MR WONG WAS REFERRING TO THE LAW OF PROPERTY BILL WHICH HE HAD URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE DURING THE LAST POLICY DEBATE.
+1 POINTED OUT THAT OUR LEGISLATION RELATING TO LAND WAS NOT ONLY FRAGMENTARY BUT LEFT SEVERAL IMPORTANT AREAS VAGUE AND OFTEN CONFUSING.
+ALTHOUGH PROPOSALS FOR SUCH AN ORDINANCE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, SADLY WE ARE STILL WITHOUT ONE TODAY.+
THE COUNCILLOR RECALLED THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, IN RESPONSE TO HIS PLEA, ADMITTED THAT THIS MATTER HAD BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR SOME CONSIDERABLE TIME AND THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO CONSULT INTERESTED PARTIES.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ALSO POINTED OUT THAT IN THE COURSE OF PREPARATION, THE BILL WAS IN THE LAW DRAFTING SECTION ONLY FOR SOME SEVEN MONTHS OUT OF A TOTAL OF 32 MONTHS. FOR THE OTHER 25 MONTHS, THE MATTER HAD IN FACT BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION ELSEWHERE.
+I HAVE MADE SOME DISCREET ENQUIRIES AND UNDERSTAND THAT AT THE MOMENT THE BILL IS STILL IN THE COURSE OF A LEISURELY 'TOUR', AT TIMES GATHERING DUST ON THE SHELF.
+WHEN IT WILL RETURN TO THE LAW DRAFTING SECTION OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS ANYBODY'S GUESS, HE SAID.
MR WONG STRESSED THAT FAILURE TO RESPOND PROMPTLY TO A REQUEST FOR COMMENTS IS CERTAINLY MOST UNFORTUNATE AND PROTRACTED CONSULTATION IS DEFINITELY NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
+SURELY DELAY IN PRODUCING IMPORTANT LEGISLATION IS INDEED A VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
+ IT IS IN EVERYONE'S INTEREST TO ENSURE THAT THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS, WHETHER DUE TO LACK OF DIRECTION OR CO-OPERATION, DOES NOT BECOME COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE AND WORK AGAINST PUBLIC INTEREST.+
MR WONG ALSO COMMENTED ON THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE.
HE WELCOMED THE NEWS THAT AMENDMENTS WOULD BE INTRODUCED TO THE ORDINANCE WHICH WAS AMENDED NO LESS THAN TEN TIMES SINCE
ITS ENACTMENT IN 1949.
THE EXISTING