WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1985
17
PEOPLE NOT DEPRIVED OF FREEDOM
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UNOFFICIALS WERE SATISFIED THAT THE AMENDED CLAUSE 8 OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL DID NOT POSE A DEPRIVATION OF THE FREEDOM OF HONG KONG PEOPLE FROM ATTENDING OR KNOWING THE PROCEEDINGS OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, THE HON CHAN YING-LUN SAID TODAY (WENESDAY).
MOVING AMENDMENTS TO CLAUSE 8 OF THE BILL AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE, MR CHAN SAID THEY HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS.
+ THE POINTS RAISED INCLUDE RESERVATION OVER THE APPLICATION OF STANDING ORDERS TO REGULATE ADMISSION; CONCERN OVER THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT TO ISSUE ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS WITHOUT BEING SUBJECTED TO RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL AND WORRY OVER THE WIDE SCOPE OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR 'OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES',+ HE SAID.
MR CHAN SAID UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS STUDYING THE BILL HAD EXAMINED THESE POINTS AND CONSIDERED THAT THE AMENDMENTS TO CLAUSE 8 HAD ALREADY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THESE RESERVATIONS.
THE REFERENCE TO THE STANDING ORDERS IN REGULATING ADMISSION WAS AN AMENDMENT MADE AT THE REQUEST OF PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION.
+WE DO NOT THEREFORE SUBSCRIBE TO THE SUGGESTION THAT IT SHOULD BE DELETED FROM THE CLAUSE, ALTHOUGH IT IS WIDELY ACCEPTED THEY REQUIRE A TOTAL REVIEW, + HE SAID.
REGARDING THE SUGGESTION TO RESTRICT THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT TO ISSUE ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS AND LIMITING THE SCOPE OF SUCH INSTRUCTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES, MR CHAN SAID MEMBERS TOOK THE VIEW THAT THERE WERE ALREADY SUFFICIENT SAFEGUARDS IN CLAUSE 8 ITSELF AND IN THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE.
+MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN BE ASSURED THAT CLAUSE 8(1) CLEARLY STATES THAT THE BILL IS NOT AIMED AT EXCLUDING THE PUBLIC FROM SITTINGS OF THE COUNCIL.
+CLAUSES 8(2) AND 8(3) RESPECTIVELY ARE FOR THE PURPOSES OF ORDERLY CONDUCT OF MEETINGS AND PROPER MANAGEMENT OF THE PRECINCTS OF THE CHAMBER.
*ONLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO CHOOSE TO VIOLATE THE PROVISION OF THIS CLAUSE WILL BE EXCLUDED.
+MOREOVER, IF THE PRESIDENT WERE TO ISSUE AN INSTRUCTION CONTRARY TO THE WISH OF MEMBERS WITHOUT GOOD REASONS, SUCH AS BARRING THE PUBLIC FROM REGULAR MEETINGS, MEMBERS WOULD CERTAINLY QUESTION AND CHALLENGE HIM ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC,+ HE SAID.
/MR CHAN