WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
MISS DUNN ALSO STRESSED THAT OUR OWN TAX SYSTEM SHOULD NOT PROVIDE NEW AND UNNECESSARY OPPORTUNITIES OR INCENTIVES TO BREAK THE LAW.
SHE SAID IT WAS UNLIKELY FOR COMPLICATED TAX LAWS TO ENHANCE THE REVENUE BY MUCH BUT FAR MORE LIKELY TO DRIVE NEW INVESTMENT AWAY AND TO BREED COMPLICATED SCHEMES FOR TAX AVOIDANCE AND EVASION AMONG THOSE WHO REMAINED.
IN CARRYING OUT THE WORK IN THESE PRIORITY AREAS, MISS DUNN SAID SHE SHOULD LIKE TO ASSURE THE GOVERNOR AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ALL DETERMINED TO WORK TOGETHER AND FOR THE GOOD OF HONG KONG,
AFTER ALL,
WE ARE +WE SHALL HAVE OUR DISAGREEMENTS. 46 INDIVIDUALS. WE SHALL MAKE OUR OWN JUDGEMENTS.
+ IN DOING SO WE SHALL ALL DO OUR BEST TO PUT ANY PARTICULAR INTERESTS WE REPRESENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GENERAL INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, + SHE SAID.
+ THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, TO WHOM MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE, ARE NOT DOCTRINAIRE. THEY ARE PRACTICAL PEOPLE.
THEY WILL
+THEY VIEW POLICIES WITH THE GREATEST SCEPTICISM. BE LOOKING FOR RESULTS AND JUDGE US BY RESULTS, SHE SAID.
SHE SAID MEMBERS MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS THAT PEOPLE WANTED, MUST REFLECT THIS IN THEIR OWN POLICY PROPOSALS AND IN THE IR STUDY OF GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.
HOWEVER, SHE CONTINUED, GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE HEED OF WHAT MEMBERS SAY AND NOT JUST SUCCUMB TO THE IR VOTES.
THE POWER OF A VOTE IN THE COUNCIL WAS THE POWER OF A SLEDGE-HAMMER AND A VOTE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT WAS A NEGATIVE EXERCISE OF POWER, SHE SAID.
THE GOVERNMENT, THEREFORE, ALSO HAD A PART TO PLAY IN THAT THE POLICIES IT BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MUST BE POLICIES THAT MEMBERS COULD SUPPORT.
+THIS MEANS THAT POLICY PROPOSALS MUST BE BACKED UP WITH FULL INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION, SHE SAID.
+THIS IS MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE THE CASE IF THEY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THE UNOFFICIALS RATHER THAN HATCHED IN SECRET AND LAUNCHED AT THIS COUNCIL WITHOUT WARNING, SHE OBSERVED.
MISS DUNN POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST ALSO BE PREPARED TO ARGUE ITS CASE AND NOT JUST TO ASSERT IT WHILE THE UNOFFICIALS MUST BE EQUALLY PREPARED PUBLICLY TO SUPPORT THOSE POLICIES WHICH THEY HAD DEVELOPED IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE,
/+WE MUST