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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1987
THE ONLY WAY TO SAFEGUARD THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC WAS TO HAVE A LEGISLATURE WHOSE MEMBERSHIP WAS DRAWN FROM THE BROAD BASE OF THE POPULACE, HE SAID.
HE SAID HE FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT ONLY WITH A LEGISLATURE WITH WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FROM AND PARTICIPATION BY THE POPULATION COULD THE ADMINISTRATION FACE THE CHALLENGES IN THE COMING YEARS WITH THE USUAL EFFECTIVENESS THAT HAD CHARACTERISED THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG. THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS WAS BY MEANS OF DIRECT ELECTIONS.
MR LAI SAID HE WAS HEARTENED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION ΤΟ SET UP AN OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS HIS FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE BILL WAS THAT IT PROVIDED QUITE ADEQUATI
ADEQ POWERS FOR THE COMMISSIONER TO CARRY OUT HIS DUTIES.
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'HOWEVER,
I HAVE
RESERVATION
ABOUT THE POLICE NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF DEPARTMENTS THAT THE COMMISSIONER COULD INVESTIGATE AND THE PROVISION THAT THE DECISIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER WILL BE FINAL,' HE SAID.
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TURNING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, HR SAID THAT EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST SHOWED THAT HONG KONG COULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER IN PLANNING FOR NEW TOWNS AND FOR THE TRANSPORT NETWORK ESSENTIAL TO ANY METROPOLIS.
"[ URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE CO-ORDINATION OF VARIOUS SERVICES SO THAT THE PROBLEMS WE ENCOUNTERED IN NEW TOWNS LIKE TUEN MUN, SHA TIN WOULD NOT BE REPEATED, HE SAID. !
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ON THE EXTENSION OF THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT TO URBAN AREAS, MR LAI SAID THAT SINCE THE ROUTES TO TSUEN WAN WOULD HAVE HIGHER PATRONAGE, THESE SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE WEIGHT IN THE DELIBERATION AS TO WHICH ROUTES TO EXPAND.
HE SAID THAT ANOTHER STATUTORY CORPORATION POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR WAS THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THAT HAD INFRASTRUCTURE
INTERESTS OF
"1 AM OF THE VIEW THAT MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD THE OWNERS AND TENANTS INVOLVED IN REDEVELOPMENTS MUST NOT BE SACRIFICED TO FACILITATE A SHORTER REDEVELOPMENT PROCESS, HE SAID.
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TURNING TO ENVIRONMENT, MR LAI SAID THAT INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTS WERE JUST AS DAMAGING AS ANIMAL WASTE, IF NOT MORE SO. HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST TACKLE ALL POLLUTION WITH THE SANK VIGOUR AND NOT BE SEEN AS FAVOURING ANY PARTICULR PARTY.
"THE ECONOMIC COSTS MAY BE HIGHER FOR INDUSTRIES TO TIDY UP THEIR OPERATIONS, BUT 'THE SOCIAL COSTS OTHERWISE WOULD BE MUCH HEAVIER, HE SAID.
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HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT COMMIT ITSELF TO SOCIAL PROGRAMMES WHICH HONG KONG MIGHT HAVE TROUBLE IMPLEMENTING IN LEAN YEARS.
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