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THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1992
I AM PLEASED TO SEE THAT THERE IS A WIDE MEASURE OF CONSENSUS ON A LARGE NUMBER OF THE SUBJECTS COVERED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE'S REPORT. I HAVE HOWEVER ALSO NOTED THE DIVERGENCE OF VIEWS ON THE SYSTEM OF VOTING FOR GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES, AS REFLECTED BY MEMBERS' SPEECHES IN TODAY'S DEBATE. CLEARLY, WE WILL NEED TO STUDY ALL THESE WITH GREAT CARE, TOGETHER WITH ANY FUTURE PUBLIC COMMENTS WHICH WE MAY RECEIVE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. OUR GOAL, SURELY, IS TO IDENTIFY THE MOST EQUITABLE AND PRACTICABLE ARRANGEMENTS THAT WOULD BEST SERVE THE LONG-TERM INTERESTS OF HONG KONG.
MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT, THE ISSUES BEFORE US ARE MANY AND COMPLEX. BEFORE COMING TO ANY CONCLUSIONS THE ADMINISTRATION WILL WANT TO CONSIDER AND WEIGH UP ALL THE ARGUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH BY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL AS WELL AS BY OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS. FOR THIS REASON, AND BECAUSE THE REPORT IS ONE FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE TO THIS COUNCIL. THE ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT BELIEVE IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS TO VOTE ON EITHER MR ARCULLI'S MOTION, OR THE AMENDMENT MOTION PROPOSED BY MR MCGREGOR. THEY WILL THEREFORE NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTING. YOU.
THANK
SCA'S SPEECH IN SECOND PART OF MOTION DEBATE ON ELECTORAL REVIEW
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE, IN THE SECOND PART OF THE MOTION DEBATE ON SELECT COMMITTEE'S REPORT ON ELECTORAL REVIEW, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY):
MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,
MR FUNG'S AMENDMENT ASSERTS THAT THE EXISTING VOTING SYSTEM FOR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS IS UNFAIR AND POSSIBLY VIOLATES THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE. THE ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT ACCEPT THESE ASSERTIONS. OUR PRESENT SYSTEM OF ELECTION, BOTH FOR GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, HAVE FULLY MET THE RELEVANT REQUIREMENTS OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE. THE QUESTION OF UNFAIRNESS OR VIOLATION OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE THEREFORE DOES NOT ARISE.
/THE ADMINISTRATION
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