SUNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1986
MISS DUNN STRESSED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD A DUTY TO CONVEY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE STRENGTH OF FEELING BOTH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND AMONG THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
+ IT WILL DO THE IR AUTHORITY IN THIS COMMUNITY NO GOOD IF IT FALLS ON DEAF EARS,+ SHE CAUTIONED.
POINTING OUT THAT THEY COULD ONLY ASK IN THIS WAY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT REPRESENTED IN PARLIAMENT, MISS DUNN SAID: IF OUR REQUESTS ARE REJECTED, IT WILL ADD TO THE PROFOUND RESENTMENT FELT BY MANY OF BRITAIN'S MOST LOYAL SUBJECTS WHO WILL BELIEVE THE IR INTERESTS HAVE BEEN BETRAYED.
+AND IT WILL BE SEEN BY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AS A MEAN AND UNWORTHY DENIAL OF THE JUST CLAIMS OF BRITAIN'S MOST VULNERABLE AND DESERVING NATIONALS.+
THE MOTION STATES THAT THIS COUNCIL REQUESTS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO CONVEY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE DEEP CONCERN EXPRESSED IN THIS COUNCIL ABOUT THE EROSION OF THE RIGHTS OF HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS AND TO URGE UPON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DETAILED PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE LETTER DATED THE 3RD JANUARY 1986 ADDRESSED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL TO MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND TABLED IN THIS COUNCIL TODAY.+
NEW METHOD OF CALCULATING RATES PROPOSED
*****
A BILL WHICH CONTAINS PROPOSALS TO CHANGE THE METHOD OF CALCULATING RATES PAYABLE TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND PROVIDES FOR REGIONAL COUNCIL RATES WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE RATING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, PROPOSED THAT WITH EFFECT FROM APRIL 1, 1986, THE TWO COUNCILS SHOULD RECEIVE RATES ACTUALLY COLLECTED ON THEIR BEHALF.
HE ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE RATES PERCENTAGE IN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND REGIONAL COUNCIL AREAS BE INCREASED FROM THE PRESENT 5.5 PER CENT TO 6 PER CENT TO MEET THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF BOTH COUNCILS.
SIR JOHN SAID THE URBAN COUNCIL HAD SOUGHT AN INCREASE IN RATES REVENUE TO MEET NORMAL GROWTH AND INFLATION. INDICATING THAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS WERE FOR TOTAL RATES REVENUE OF $1 690 MILLION IN 1986-87 AND $1 772 MILLION IN 1987-88.
AI LAID