WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1983
LEGCO BACKS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS'S MOTION
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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY SUPPORTED THE MOTION BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE REV THE HON PATRICK MCGOVERN WELCOMING THE REPORT A PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION IN HONG KONG+.
THE APPROVAL WAS GIVEN IN A VOTE TAKEN AFTER AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION HAD BEEN PROPOSED BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON KENNETH TOPLEY.
THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS ALSO SUPPORTED FR MCGOVERN'S MOTION ON THE BASIS OF A CONCLUDING STATEMENT BY MR TOPLEY.
MR TOPLEY SAID: +IT IS CLEAR FROM WHAT FR MCGOVERN AND OTHER MEMBERS HAVE SAID ON THE AMENDMENT THAT THE MOTION IS NOT MEANT TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION. IT IS NOW MADE CLEAR THAT THE MOTION IS NOT MEANT TO EXCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION THAT IS CONTINUING. IT IS NOW CLEAR THAT THE REPORT IS NOT THE ONLY BASIS FOR FORMULATION OF POLICY NOR IS IT SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST PROCEED TOMORROW TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION IN THE REPORT AS A FIXED BLUEPRINT.
+I MUST MAKE VERY CLEAR THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION OF DRAGGING ITS FEET AND INDEED THERE IS NOTHING IN OUR RECORD IN RECENT YEARS THAT SUGGESTS THAT WE DO NOT PURSUE AGREED POLICIES VIGOROUSLY. FINALLY THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IT QUITE CLEAR HOW IT SEES THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS UNFOLDING, AND NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOTION IS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THIS SEQUENCE — A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS DERIVED FROM THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, FREELY GIVEN AS RECENTLY AS APRIL THIS YEAR.
+ IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND MY OFFICIAL COLLEAGUES ARE NOW PREPARED TO VOTE FOR THE MOTION.+
FR MCGOVERN'S MOTION WAS:
+THAT THIS COUNCIL RECEIVES WITH APPROBATION THE REPORT 'A PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION IN HONG KONG,' AND COMMENDS IT TO GOVERNMENT AS A BASIS ON WHICH THE CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.+
MR TOPLEY HAD SOUGHT AN AMENDMENT OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' MOTION BY LEAVING OUT THE WORDS
+AS A BASIS ON WHICH THE CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.+, AND INSERTING INSTEAD THE FOLLOWING WORDS -
+AS A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE POLICY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG.
SPEAKING EARLIER ON THIS AMENDMENT MOTION, MR TOPLEY SAID THE MOTION PROPOSED BY FATHER MCGOVERN WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION.
MR TOPLEY SAID THE OBJECT OF THIS AMENDMENT WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE COMBATIVE OR DIVISIVE: ON THE CONTRARY, IT WAS INTENDED TO BROADEN THE BASIS OF CONSENSUS TO PROVIDE A FORM OF WORDS WHICH ALL MEMBERS COULD AGREE UPON WITHOUT EMBARRASSMENT.