WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985
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HE SAID THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS DEALING WITH THIS BILL CONSIDERED THERE WAS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR SUCH OBJECTION FROM THOSE DBS WHICH WERE ADVISED OF THE INTENTION OF EXTENSION BEFORE ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS TO THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL, BUT THE OBJECTION FROM THOSE DBS WHICH WERE NOT ADVISED WAS UNDERSTANDABLE.
+THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AGREE THAT DBS WITH NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S INTENTION SHOULD NOT BE DEPRIVED OF THEIR RIGHT TO ELECT THEIR FIRST REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS TO THE NEW COUNCIL, WHILE THE MAJORITY OF DBS WHICH WERE FULLY BRIEFED OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S INTENTION SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY ALLOW THE IR REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS IN THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL TO CONTINUE SERVICE IN THE NEW COUNCIL FOR TWO YEARS, HE ADDED.
+FOR THE SAKE OF CONTINUITY AND EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF THE NEW COUNCIL, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THOSE DBS WHICH OPTED FOR NEW ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS FOR THE NEW COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER SERIOUSLY THE RE-ELECTION OF THE SAME REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS, AND NATURALLY IT WILL BE UP TO THE DBS CONCERNED TO DECIDE,+ HE SAID.
HE NOTED THE ADMINISTRATION HAD ACCEPTED THIS POINT OF VIEW AND HE WOULD PROPOSE DELETION OF CLAUSE 60 AND INTRODUCE NECESSARY AMENDMENTS AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE TO ACHIEVE THIS ARRANGEMENT.
TURNING TO THE REQUEST FROM THE HEUNG YEE KUK THAT CLAUSE 6(C) BE AMENDED TO THE EFFECT THAT THE 12 APPOINTED MEMBERS SHOULD INCLUDE THREE MEMBERS FROM THE KUK, MR HU SAID THE REGIONAL COUNCIL HAD TO PERFORM MANY FUNCTIONS VESTED IN IT BY THIS BILL.
+ IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A BALANCED COMPOSITION OF MEMBERS IN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IN ORDER TO ENSURE THERE WILL BE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF KNOWLEDGEABLE AND DEDICATED MEMBERS TO LOOK AFTER EVERY FUNCTION, HE SAID.
ONE OF THE MAIN ADVANTAGES OF THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM WAS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION COULD DECIDE AND CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE OF APPOINTED MEMBERS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE BALANCED COMPOSITION OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL TO COVER EVENLY EVERY ASPECT OF THE FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES TO BE PERFORMED BY THE COUNCIL, HE OBSERVED.
HE POINTED OUT THAT MANY MEMBERS OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK COULD BE ELECTED TO THE NEW COUNCIL THROUGH DIRECT ELECTION OR ELECTION THROUGH DISTRICT BOARDS, AND THE NEW COUNCIL MIGHT ALREADY HAVE ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION OF RURAL INTEREST.
HE WAS THEREFORE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE VIEW OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY IN HIS SPEECH ON JUNE 26 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT OUT OF 12 APPOINTED MEMBERS THREE MEMBERS WOULD, AS CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRED, BE MEMBERS OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK ESPECIALLY CHOSEN TO REPRESENT THE THREE CONSTITUENCIES OF THE KUK.
+SUCH FLEXIBILITY IS PRACTICAL AND REALISTIC, HE SAID.
HE SUPPORTED THE MOTION SUBJECT TO THE AGREED AMENDMENTS.
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