WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1991
CLOSING RANKS OF EXCO AND ADMINISTRATION ON NEW POLICY IDEAS: CS
THE
AT
ADMINISTRATION INTENDS TO CONSULT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AN BARLY STAGE OF ITS THINKING ABOUT NEW POLICIES AND AT THAT TIME ΤΟ SEEK MEMBERS' VIEWS IN THE PRINCIPLES INVOLVED.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID FORD, AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN
THEREAFTER, SIR DAVID SAID, POLICY SECRETARIES WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH MEMBERS OF EXCO TO DEVELOP POLICY IDEAS INTO FIRM PROPOSALS WHICH COULD BE PUT TO THE COUNCIL FOR ADVICE.
"AS A RESULT INDIVIDUAL EXCO MEMBERS MAY WELL DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN PARTICULAR PROGRAMME AREAS AND CONSEQUENTLY FIND IT USEFUL TO ESTABLISH A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE APPROPRIATE POLICY SECRETARY, HE SAID.
THE
11
STAGE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID BY INVOLVING EXCO AT AN EARLIER MEMBERS WOULD HAVE A GREATER ROLE TO PLAY IN POLICY FORMULATION AND THUS
BEHIND BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO EXPLAIN PUBLICLY THE THINKING THE DECISIONS WHICH HAD BEEN TAKEN.
NOTING THAT HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS WERK UNUSUAL, SIR DAVID SAID THEY WERE NEITHER TIDY NOR CONVENTIONAL BY THE STANDARDS OF SOVEREIGN STATES.
"BUT THIS SHOULD NOT SURPRISE ANYONE BECAUSE HONG KONG IS NOT AND NEVER WILL BE A SOVEREIGN STATE," HE SAID.
SIR DAVID SAID THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT OF AN APPOINTED EXECUTIVE, WORKING THROUGH AN APOLITICAL CIVIL SERVICE, BALANCED BY AN EVERYONE ELECTED LEGISLATURE WAS A FAIR AND WORKABLE SYSTEM, PROVIDED INVOLVED WAS COMMITTED TO MAKING IT WORK IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.
AND COUNCIL
THE ROLES,
HE SAID THAT IN TURN MEANT THE EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDING THEIR THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, THEIR POWER AND THE LIMITATIONS TO THAT POWER.
SIR DAVID STRESSED THAT POLICY MAKING WOULD CONTINUE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION WORKING WITHIN GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
то
REST
"BUT THE ADMINISTRATION CANNOT GO IT ALONE," HE SAID.
IT NEEDED THE COMFORT OF KNOWING THAT ITS POLICIES AND HAD THE WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND WERE TO PROVE
TO A MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF
ACCEPTABLE
THE
ACTIONS
LIKELY LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
/"WE IN