+
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1986
29
WIDER DISCONTINUATION OF +UNOFFICIAL+
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IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THAT FROM NOW ON THE TITLE +UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS TO BE DISCONTINUED.
COMMENTING ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE TITLE AS APPLIED TO MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES WOULD ALSO BE DISCONTINUED,
THESE CHANGES HAD BEEN DECIDED ON BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HONG KONG CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM WERE CONFUSED BY THE TERM UNOFFICIAL+.
MOREOVER WHEN USED IN PARALLEL WITH THE TERM +OFFICIAL+
IT COULD LEAD TO AN UNNECESSARY AND INVIDIOUS DISTINCTION BEING DRAWN BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF MEMBER.
AS ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCILS AND BOARDS AND COMMITTEES SERVED A COMMON CAUSE THEY SHOULD BE REFERRED TO IN FUTURE. BY A TITLE WHICH REFLECTS THAT FACT, THAT IS MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL+, +MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL+, OR +MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF XXX+.
IT FOLLOWED THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE TITLE OF +UMELCO+ OFFICE. IN FUTURE THIS WOULD BE KNOWN AS +OMELCO+ OR THE +OFFICE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS+. THE SECRETARY GENERAL-UMELCO WOULD BECOME THE SECRETARY GENERAL-OMELCO. THIS CHANGE OF TITLE DID NOT IN ANY WAY AFFECT THE FUNCTIONS OF THE OLD UMELCO OFFICE WHICH WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD NOW BE KNOWN AS THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL RESPECTIVELY.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY, WHEN NECESSARY, WOULD BE REFERRED TO AS THE SENIOR OFFICIAL MEMBER OF BOTH COUNCILS.
THE SPOKESMAN DID NOT FORESEE ANY MAJOR DIFFICULTIES IN ADAPTING TO THE CHANGE. FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE IT WOULD HAVE ONCE BEEN THE PRACTICE TO REFER TO A BOARD AS HAVING +X OFFICIALS AND Y UNOFFICIALS+, REFERENCE WOULD NOW BE MADE TO A BOARD HAVING +THREE MEMBERS INCLUDING X OFFICIALS+.
WHERE MORE PRECISION WAS REQUIRED, FOR EXAMPLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS, REFERENCE WOULD BE MADE TO MEMBERS +OTHER THAN OFFICIAL MEMBERS+ OR +APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS+.
HOWEVER, THE LATTER USAGE, WHICH ALSO IMPLIED A POTENTIALLY DIVISIVE DIVISION BETWEEN CATEGORIES OF MEMBERS WOULD BE USED EXTREMELY SPARINGLY.
THE SHONZUMAN