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WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1989
"THE PROVISION WAS FULLY OFFSET EITHER BY SAVINGS UNDER THE SAME OR OTHER HEADS OF EXPENDITURE OR BY DELETION OF FUNDS UNDER THE ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS SUBHEADS, HE SAID.
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APPROVED NON-RECURRENT COMMITMENTS WERE INCREASED BY $74.9 MILLION DURING THE PERIOD. AND NEW NON-RECURRENT COMMITMENTS OF $276.5 MILLION WERE ALSO APPROVED, MR NENDICK SAID.
IN THE SAME PERIOD, A NET INCREASE OF 1,361 POSTS WAS APPROVED.
HE ADDED THAT ITEMS IN THE SUMMARY HAD BEEN APPROVED EITHER BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OR UNDER DELEGATED AUTHORITY, AND THE LATTER HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
CHANGES AIMED AT PRODUCING WORKABLE POLITICAL SYSTEM FOR SAR
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS HAVE AGREED TO RECOMMEND CERTAIN CHANGES TO THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW WHICH WILL PRODUCE A WORKABLE POLITICAL SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION A SYSTEM THAT WILL PRESERVE THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND ENSURE ITS FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY IN THE 50 YEARS BEYOND 1997.
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IN MOVING A MOTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE SENIOR MEMBER, THE HON ALLEN LEE, SAID HE WAS PROUD OF THE FACT THAT AFTER WEEKS OF SOUL-SEARCHING AND DISCUSSION, MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO PUT ASIDE THEIR "DIVERSE AND STRONG PERSONAL VIEWS" IN THE OVERALL INTEREST OF HONG KONG, AND ΤΟ REACH BROAD AGREEMENT ON CERTAIN MAJOR ISSUES IN THE SECOND DRAFT.
HIS MOTION READS: "THAT THIS COUNCIL CALLS ON THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE BASIC LAW OF HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (DRAFT) AND URGES THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED TO TAKE SUCH VIEWS FULLY INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE THE PROMULGATION OF THE BASIC LAW.
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MR LEE POINTED OUT THAT WHILE RECENT EVENTS IN HONG KONG HAD CLEARLY SHOWN THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT POLITICALLY APATHETIC, MEMBERS RECOGNISED THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH A FOCUS ON MAJOR ISSUES TO WHICH THEY COULD TURN.
"WHAT MY HONOURABLE COLLEAGUES WILL SAY TODAY AND TOMORROW IN THIS CHAMBER WILL. I HOPE, PROVIDE INSPIRATION AND A FOCUS FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THEIR STUDY OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, AND ASSIST TILEM IN COMING TO A VIEW ON WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE ENSHRINED IN THE BASIC
LAW, SO THAT THEY CAN ENSURE THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS PROMISED IN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION WILL BE ADHERED TO. AND TO FORM A GOVERNMENT THAT IS TRULY HONG KONG PEOPLE RULING HONG KONG,
" HE SAID,
/MR LEE