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SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1985
THE CHIEF SECRETARY AGAIN POINTED OUT THAT THE BILL WAS PART OF A PACKAGE OF LEGISLATION AND PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
+WE HAD TO AMEND THE LETTERS PATENT; WE'VE GOT TO PROVIDE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEM; WE'VE GOT TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER, AND WE'VE GOT TO PROVIDE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE NEW COUNCIL WILL OPERATE,+ HE SAID.
+ I THINK THAT IS THE THING WHICH PEOPLE MUSTN'T LOSE SIGHT OF.+ SIR DAVID SAID THE PAST TWO OR THREE WEEKS HAD BEEN VERY
IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG.
+ I THINK IT IS A REMARKABLE THING ABOUT HONG KONG THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THESE PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS OF OPINIONS AND CRITICISMS, THAT THE CRITICISMS CAN BE LISTENED TO BY THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEGISLATION AND THAT THE NECESSARY AMENDMENTS CAN BE MADE.
+THIS IS AN INDICATION OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HERE.+
ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANTICIPATED SUCH A STRONG REACTION TO THE BILL, SIR DAVID SAID, WITH HINDSIGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER PERHAPS IF WE HAVE HAD A GREATER DEGREE OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION BEFORE GOING FORWARD.
+BUT IT HAS BEEN A VERY USEFUL LEARNING EXERCISE FOR US ALL AND I THINK THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IS STRONGER AS A RESULT OF THESE FEW WEEKS THAT WE HAVE HAD.
+ IT HAS DEMONSTRATED, I THINK, THAT THE SYSTEM IS ALIVE ND HEALTHY AND WORKING -- THE SYSTÉM OF PUBLIC REPRESENTATION AND A GOVERNMENT WHICH IS LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.
ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT STILL HOPED THAT THE BILI COULD BE PASSED BEFORE THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS ASSEMBLED, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID, +YES INDEED, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS VERY NECESSARY THAT THE NEW LEGISLATURE IN ITS NEW CHAMBER SHOULD HAVE THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH TO CONDUCT ITS BUSINESS.+
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