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WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1993
THERE ARE MANY INFORMAL CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. AND, TODAY, SOME MEMBERS SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE FORMAL CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE TWO COUNCILS. NO DOUBT THEY WOULD RECALL THAT THE FORMER OMELCO MEETING SYSTEM WAS ABOLISHED AT THE SUGGESTION OF SOME MEMBERS AT THE TIME. BUT IF MEMBERS NOW WISH, WE WOULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT SOME SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE. I CAN ASSURE HONOURABLE MEMBERS THAT THEIR VIEWS ARE FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN DECISIONS ARE TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. BUT SO LONG AS THE TWO COUNCILS WITH OR WITHOUT DUAL MEMBERSHIP ARE SEPARATE AND PLAY DIFFERENT ROLES, NO ONE SHOULD BE SURPRISED IF OCCASIONALLY THERE DISAGREEMENTS.
THAT SAID,
I AND MY COLLEAGUES IN THE EXECUTIVE
ARE
COUNCIL ARE RELATIONSHIP
DEBATE, MADE WILL EXAMINE
FULLY ALIVE TO THE NEED TO PROMOTE AN EFFECTIVE WORKING WITH THIS COUNCIL. MANY MEMBERS HAVE, IN TODAY'S THOUGHT-PROVOKING SUGGESTIONS. I ASSURE YOU THAT WE THESE SUGGESTIONS SERIOUSLY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH THIS COUNCIL TO MOVE AHEAD.
THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT.
SCA IN HUMAN RIGHTS DEBATE
FOR
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY SECRETARY CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE, AT THE MOTION DEBATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TONIGHT:
MR PRESIDENT,
I WISH TO THANK MEMBERS FOR THEIR VIEWS, SO ELOQUENTLY EXPRESSED. IT IS CLEAR THAT MOST MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN ARE STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF THE IDEA OF SETTING UP A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO HELP PROMOTE AND PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS BY VARIOUS MEASURES, INCLUDING:
(A) PUBLIC EDUCATION;
(B)
EVALUATION OF LAWS AND POLICIES;
(C) MONITORING OF GOVERNMENT ACTIONS AND PRACTICES; AND
(D)
RESOLVING DISPUTES THROUGH RECONCILIATION OR ADJUDICATION.
/THE GOVERNMENT