WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1984
3
+ IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN THE PRESIDENT WILL HAVE TO BECOME MORE ACTIVE - MORE ACTIVE NOT IN PUSHING THE VIEWS OF THE GOVERNMENT BUT IN REGULATING THE PROGRESS OF DEBATE IN A FAIR WAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDING ORDERS, HE SAID.
REFERRING TO SOME CRITICISM THAT THE TIME OF TWO MONTHS PLANNED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER WAS INADEQUATE, MR BRAY SPOKE AT LENGTH ON THE NUMEROUS STEPS REQUIRED FOR PLANNING AND EXECUTION TO BE IN TIME FOR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN JULY 1985.
THESE STEPS INVOLVE SUCH HUMDRUM ACTIVITIES AS TRANSLATION AND PRINTING OF DOCUMENTS, AND COMPLIANCE WITH LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TIMETABLES. THEY ALSO INVOLVE CHANGES TO HONG KONG ORDINANCES AND SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION AND TO THE LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE DONE BY THE QUEEN IN COUNCIL IN LONDON. FURTHERMORE IT WILL BE A LENGTHY PROCESS TO PREPARE THE ELECTORAL ROLLS AFTER THE LAW HAS BEEN IN PLACE.
+THIS IS A VERY TIGHT TIMETABLE. THERE IS VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTIES OR PROLONGED ARGUMENT OVER DETAILS OF POLICY OR LAW.
+TOO MUCH RUSH WILL LEAD TO MISTAKES YET TIME SIMPLY WILL NOT ALLOW FOR PROLONGED DEBATE. THERE IS JUST TIME FOR DELIBERATE THOUGHTFUL PROGRESSION BUT NOT MUCH MORE.
+SO THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ANOTHER TWO OR THREE MONTHS OVER DISCUSSIONS ON THE GREEN PAPER ARE IN FACT ASKING FOR A DELAY OF ONE YEAR IN THE START OF REFORM OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THIS IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE,+ MR BRAY SAID.
MACLEOD DISAPPOINTED WITH OUTCOME OF TALKS *****
TALKS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE UNITED STATES ON THE NEW AMERICAN TEXTILE IMPORT REGULATIONS ENDED YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON, THE SECOND DAY OF THE TALKS, WITHOUT ANY POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THE U.S.
ANNOUNCING THIS, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, DIRECTOR OF TRADE AND LEADER OF THE HONG KONG DELEGATION, EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS.
+WE STATED CLEARLY AND FIRMLY THE REASONS WHY THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS ARE IN BREACH OF BOTH THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT AND THE 1982-1987 BILATERAL TEXTILE AGREEMENT BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE U.S. WE FORMALLY REQUESTED THAT THE U.S. RESCIND THE
REGULATIONS.
/+DESPITE THE ...................