2
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1985
ON A QUESTION ABOUT PRESS REPORTS ON THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO SET UP AN OMBUDSMAN OFFICE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS REVIEWING A NUMBER OF THE APPEAL AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES WHICH ALSO INVOLVED UMELCO.
HE SAID: INDEED THERE HAS BEEN A GROUP SET UP BY UMELCO TO REVIEW THE SAME THING. WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THAT WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHATEVER SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE WILL BE VERY CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.+
ASKED IF HE REGARDED AS A WEAKNESS OF THE INDIRECT ELECTION SYSTEM THAT MR LAU WONG-FAT WAS RUNNING AN UNCONTESTED RACE FOR THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL SEAT IN LEGCO, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WAS NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON ANY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OR ANY INDIVIDUAL CANDIDACY OR SUCCESS IN THE ELECTIONS.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CANDIDATES OR WHETHER THERE WERE SINGLE CANDIDATES WAS REALLY A MATTER FOR THE CONSTITUENCIES IN THAT THEY PUT UP THE CANDIDATES AND THEN THEY DECIDE WHO WILL REPRESENT THEM.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON LOCALISATION, SIR EDWARD SAID: +THE GOVERNMENT HAS HAD A PLAN FOR A VERY LONG TIME THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF LOCAL CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO THE CIVIL SERVICE AND GRADUALLY THEY HAVE BEEN RISING AS THEY GAIN EXPERIENCE AND SENIORITY.
+A NUMBER OF SENIOR POSITIONS ARE ALREADY OCCUPIED BY LOCAL PEOPLE, SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE.
+IT IS TO ME VERY SENSIBLE, AND SOMETHING TO BE WARMLY WELCOMED.+
ON LOCALISATION OF POLICE INSPECTORS, HE SAID: THE POLICE, AS YOU KNOW, HAVE A WORKING GROUP ON THESE MATTERS, AND THEY ARE DUE TO REPORT SOME TIME LATER IN THE YEAR, WHEN THE REPORT IS UP, THEN WE WILL CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY WHAT THEY SAY.+
ASKED IF HE WOULD GO TO BEIJING WITH MR RICHARD LUCE, HE SAID: +NO. I AM NOT GOING TO BEIJING WITH MR LUCE, I SHOULD BE STAYING IN HONG KONG, BUT I SHALL BE SEEING HIM WHEN HE COMES THROUGH.+