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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1982
LEGCO STANDING ORDERS TO BE REVIEWED
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A WORKING PARTY WILL BE SET UP TO REVIEW THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S STANDING ORDERS, CONVENTIONS AND PRACTICES, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDÉ, ANNOUNCED TODAY.
HE SAID SOME OF THE AIMS WERE TO ACHIEVE A MORE STRUCTURED PUBLIC DEBATE OF LEGISLATION AND AN EASIER EXCHANGE OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A TRUER REFLECTION OF THE COUNCIL'S ESSENTIALLY REPRESENTATIVE ROLE.
+ THE INVOLVEMENT OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG WOULD, I SUSPECT, COME AS A SURPRISE TO AN OVERSEAS OBSERVER; AND DOUBT THAT IT IS WHOLLY COMPREHENDED BY OUR OWN PEOPLE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
HE NOTED THAT 75 BILLS WERE PASSED DURING THE LAST SESSION OF THE COUNCIL. NINETEEN OF THOSE BILLS WERE AMENDED AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE, WITH A TOTAL OF 73 CLAUSES BEING CHANGED, SOME OF THEM SUBSTANTIALLY.
+ IT WAS THE WISE ADVICE OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, REFLECTING PUBLIC CONCERNS, WHICH LED TO THESE CHANGES,+ SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT.
HE SAID THAT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE THE IR OWN MASTERS, WITH A RIGHT TO BE HEARD ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON ANY ISSUES, INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL, WHICH IN THEIR JUDGMENT TOUCHED UPON THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY.
+THEY ARE OUR WATCH-DOGS OVER THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS, WITH A RIGHT TO CALL ATTENTION TO ANY FORM OF MALADMINISTRATION OR PUBLIC GRIEVANCE. THE PUBLIC CALLED THE IR ATTENTION TO OVER 3 000 SUCH COMPLAINTS DURING THE TERM OF THE LAST SESSION.
+THEY ARE OUR MONITORS ON THE PANELS WHICH REVIEW PROGRESS IN MAJOR POLICY AREAS, WHICH MET 44 TIMES DURING THE LAST SESSION, AND THEY ARE OUR CONSCIENCE IN THE MEETINGS OF THE ICAC COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE AND THE UMELCO POLICE GROUP.
+CLEARLY, HONG KONG SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF ITS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS,+ HE SAID.
THE GOVERNOR SAID HONG KONG SHOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF ALL THOSE PUBLIC SPIRITED MEN AND WOMEN WHO GAVE THE IR TIME TO SERVE ON OTHER COUNCILS, ADVISORY BOARDS AND THE HOST OF OTHER BODIES WHICH PLAYED SUCH A VITAL ROLE IN THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS IN HONG KONG.
HE ADDED THAT HE ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE ADVICE THEY OFFERED AND THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE OBJECTIVES AND COMPOSITION OF THESE BODIES WERE KEPT IN TUNE WITH PRESENT DAY CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE GOVERNOR SAID HE HAS ASKED FOR THE NEXT REGULAR REVIEW OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE AND MEMBERSHIP OF ALL ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, OF WHICH THERE ARE NOW SOME 320, TO BE CARRIED OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SON DISTRICT
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