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WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1992
WHERE QUESTIONS ARE RAISED BY THIS COUNCIL ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THESE BODIES/COMMITTEES, THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO ANSWER FOR THEM.
Ι NOTE THAT DR HUANG AND MR TIK WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE DONE BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF STATUTORY BODIES. BUT THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT FOR POLICY SECRETARIES TO DEAL WITH SUCH QUESTIONS REFLECT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE RELEVANT STATUTORY BODIES AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IS ANSWERABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE FOR ALL ASPECTS OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THOSE UNDERTAKING ON ITS BEHALF BY STATUTORY BODIES. THE RELEVANT SECRETARY WILL OF COURSE CONSULT THE STATUTORY BODIES CONCERNED BEFORE PROVIDING ANY ANSWER OR INFORMATION ΤΟ LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON MATTERS AFFECTING THESE BODIES.
WITHIN THESE BROAD PARAMETERS, THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS GOVERNING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARTICULAR BODIES OR COMMITTEES ARE OF COURSE ADAPTED AND REFINED, HAVING REGARD TO THE NATURE OF THEIR ACTIVITIES AND THE NEEDS OF THE TIME. CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE AS CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT, NOT ONLY IN THEIR PRECISE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO IN THEIR STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION. ONE AREA WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT IS THE FEASIBILITY OF DEFINING THE PRECISE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND SOME STATUTORY BODIES MORE CLEARLY. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DEAL WITH THESE RELATIONSHIPS PRAGMATICALLY, RATHER THAN MAKING CHANGES FOR DOCTRINAL REASONS. WE SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO LOOK OVER EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO, AND HOW THEY DO IT, FOR WE RISK DESTROYING THE VERY FLEXIBILITY THAT WE WISH TO ACHIEVE IN SETTING UP STATUTORY BODIES. WE MUST HANDLE THIS WITH CARE AND SENSITIVITY.
TURNING ΤΟ DECLARATION OF INTERESTS, THE GOVERNMENT IS OF COURSE FULLY ALIVE TO THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT DECISIONS ARE MADE IMPARTIALLY, AND THAT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE INTERESTS OF MEMBERS OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN CONSIDERING THEIR VIEWS AND ADVICE. HONG KONG IS RELATIVELY A SMALL AND COMPACT PLACE AND IT IS NOT HARD FOR THE INTERESTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO BE KNOWN, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE OFFICIALLY DECLARED. SOMETIMES, INDEED, WE APPOINT INDIVIDUALS TO REPRESENT SPECIFIC INTERESTS ΤΟ BOARDS AND COMMITTEES IN ORDER THAT THOSE INTERESTS MIGHT BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, E.G. THE RICE ADVISORY BOARD WHERE A NOMINEE OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL LOOKS AFTER THE INTERESTS OF THE CONSUMER. OTHER CASES WE NEED TO DRAW ON THE EXPERTISE OF THE PRACTITIONERS IN THE PARTICULAR FIELD OF ACTIVITY, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT NECESSARY TO APPOINT INDIVIDUALS WITH A PARTICULAR BACKGROUND AND INTEREST. THUS ALL MEMBERS OF THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD ARE MANUFACTURERS OR EXPORTERS OF TEXTILES AND GARMENTS WITH IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THAT INDUSTRY. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THEY ACT AS INDUSTRIAL ADVISERS TO HONG KONG'S TRADE NEGOTIATORS. THESE ARE DOCUMENTED IN THE CIVIL AND MISCELLANEOUS LISTS, AND IT QUITE EASY TO FIND OUT.
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