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WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1988
SIR DAVID ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE COULD NOT NORMALLY BE CONVENED FOLLOWING A DISSOLUTION.
"HOWEVER, UNDER THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS, THE GOVERNOR HAS POWER TO CONVENE A SITTING OF THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION OF URGENT BUSINESS AFTER A DISSOLUTION, HE CONTINUED.
"IN SUCH AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, IT IS POSSIBLE ΤΟ ENVISAGE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MIGHT INDEED BE RECALLED."
I
CALL FOR NON-GOVERNMENT MEMBER TO PRESIDE
THE GOVERNOR SHOULD EXERCISE HIS POWER TO APPOINT A NON-GOVERNMENT MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ΤΟ PRESIDE OVER COUNCIL SITTINGS IN HIS PLACE, THE HON ANDREW WONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR WONG WAS SPEAKING IN THE COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF A MOTION, MOVED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, TO AMEND THE COUNCIL STANDING ORDERS.
MR WONG RECALLED THAT HE HAD SAID ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THAT THE GOVERNOR NEED NOT BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
HE HAD ALSO SAID THAT BEFORE HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS HAD EVOLVED ΤΟ THAT STAGE, THE GOVERNOR OUGHT TO CONSISTENTLY APPOINT A NON-GOVERNMENT MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL TO PRESIDE IN HIS PLACE.
BUT, BECAUSE OF THE WORDING OF THE STANDING ORDERS AND THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS, DOUBTS COULD BE CAST AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD THE NECESSARY POWERS.
MR WONG NOTED THAT THE ROYAL INSTRUCTION HAD BEEN AMENDED EARLIER THIS YEAR TO REMOVE THE DOUBTS.
CLAUSE 1 OF THE PRESENT MOTION PROPOSED A SIMILAR REDRAFTING TO THE STANDING ORDERS.
HE WELCOMED THE AMENDMENT AND URGED THE PRESIDENT TO EXERCISE HIS UNEQUIVOCAL POWERS TO APPOINT A NON-GOVERNMENT MEMBER TO PESIDE IN HIS PLACE.
TURNING TO THE DISSOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR WONG NOTED THAT THE PROVISION HAD BEEN AMENDED EARLIER THIS YEAR TO ALLOW FOR AN INCREASED FLEXIBILITY OF A SHORTER DISSOLUTION WITHOUT UPSETTING THE TRADITION OF A RECESS DURING AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
/THE PRESENT