THURSDAY, AUGUST ‘E
AMPLE TIME FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION - SIR DAVID
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THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION O.. THE DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL ON NATIONALITY, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE START OF HIS BORDER TOUR AT THE LOK MA CHAU LOOKOUT, SIR DAVID SAID THAT THE DRAFT ORDER WOULD BE PUBLISHED AS SOON AS IT HAD BEEN SHOWN TO MINISTERS
IN LONDON.
+THERE WILL BE A COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR CONSULTATION IN HONG KONG BEFORE IT IS DEBATED IN BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT AND THEN THERE WILL BE A FURTHER PERIOD BEFORE THE ORDER IS FINALLY MADE FINAL IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT, HE SAID.
ASKED WHETHER A SPECIAL OFFICE WOULD BE SET UP TO COLLECT PUBLIC OPINION ON THE DRAFT ORDER, HE SAID HE THOUGHT THIS WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY AS IT WAS NOT SUCH A COMPLICATED MATTER.
SIR DAVID NOTED HOWEVER THAT IT WAS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD WANT TO HOLD A DEBATE ON IT.
ON THE SUBJECT OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTION NOMINATIONS, HE BELIEVED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES IN BOTH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND IN THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES BY THE END OF THE NOMINATION PERIOD.
ASKED IF THERE WAS A WORRY THAT THERE COULD BE ONE-HORSE
IF SOME RACES', SIR DAVID SAID: I DON'T THINK THERE IS A WORRY. CONSTITUENCIES DECIDED THAT THEY ARE PUTTING THE BEST CANDIDATES FORWARD WITHOUT THE NEED FOR AN ELECTION, THEN THAT IS UP TO THAT CONSTITUENCY TO DECIDE+.
ON THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE BORDER AREA, HE SAID THE PROGRESS THAT HAD BEEN MADE IN CROSS-BORDER TRANSPORT LINKS WAS REALLY QUITE REMARKABLE.
SIR DAVID ALSO BRIEFED REPORTERS ON HIS PROGRAMME FOR THE AFTERNOON WHICH COVERED THE SITE FOR THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIVER AT LOK MA CHAU, THE RAILWAY STATION AT LOWU, THE NEW BRIDGE AT MAN KAM TO AND THE NEW BORDER CROSSING AT SHA TAU KOK.