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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985
HE HOPED THAT THE NEW REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD RENDER FULL EXECUTIVE SUPPORT TO THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL AND THAT ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE MADE FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT AND HIS STAFF TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES AND SUB-COMMITTEES AND TO GIVE ADVICE WHENEVER APPROPRIATE.
+CONSIDER ING THE FACT THAT THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL IS GIVEN THE IMPORTANT TASKS OF BOTH ADVISING THE GOVERNOR ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PERMANENT REGIONAL COUNCIL AND ALSO ON THE FULL RANGE OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES WHICH AFFECT THE DAILY LIVES OF MILLIONS OF NEW TERRITORIES RESIDENTS, I THINK THE VALUABLE ADVICE AND SUPPORT OF THE CONCERNED GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES WOULD HELP TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH INAUGURATION OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL,+ MR CHEUNG SAID.
ON THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, HE SAID HE WAS GLAD TO NOTE THAT CLAUSE 7 OF THE BILL CONFERRED THE GOVERNOR WITH A DISCRETION TO SPECIFY THE PERIOD FOR THE CHAIRMAN, THE VICE-CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL TO HOLD THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICES.
HE ALSO SAID HE BELIEVED THE 12 APPOINTED MEMBERS WOULD TEAM UP AMICABLY WITH THE NINE ELECTED MEMBERS FROM THE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND THE THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM THE HEUNG YEE KUK.
THE HON PETER C. WONG ALSO SAID HE SUPPORTED THE BILL, SUBJECT TO AN AMENDMENT TO PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE DISQUALIFICATION OF CERTAIN PERSONS FROM BEING MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL.
THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, THANKED MR WONG FOR THE AMENDMENT WHICH, HE SAID, REMOVED ANY POSSIBILITY OF AMBIGUITY IN THE PROVISIONS ON THE DISQUALIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP ON GROUNDS OF CRIMINAL OFFENCE.
LIKE MR CHEUNG, MR AKERS-JONES ENVISAGED THAT MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL WOULD HAVE A HEAVY TASK AHEAD OF THEM.
HE SAID HE APPRECIATED MR CHEUNG'S CONCERN OVER THE SHORT TIME MEMBERS WOULD HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNCIL.
+PROVIDED ALL CONCERNED HEED HIS ADVICE, I AM CONFIDENT THAT, GIVEN THE GENERAL EXPERIENCE OF MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL IN THE IR OWN FIELDS AS WELL AS THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM THE RUNNING OF THE URBAN COUNCIL OVER PAST YEARS, AND EFFECTIVE SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE, WE CAN BE READY IN TIME FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE FULL REGIONAL COUNCIL IN 1986, + MR AKERS-JONES
SAID.
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