11
THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1993
THE
MR JAMES TO: JUST NOW THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT LEGCO IS THE BEST REFLECTION OF PUBLIC OPINION. ON THE 24TH APRIL, LEGCO URGED THE ADMINISTRATION TO SET UP AN INDEPENDENT COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE AGAINST POLICE, THAT IS, OUTSIDE THE POLICE FORCE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE PROGRESS ON THIS. I THINK ON THE WHOLE THE POLICE FORCE IS DESERVING OF OUR COMMENDATION, BUT TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE AND SYSTEM TO MONITOR THE POLICE FORCE AND TO WERD THE POLICE FORCE OF SOME UNRULY ELEMENTS IS REALLY GOING TO INJECT MORE CONFIDENCE OF OUR PEOPLE IN TO THE POLICE FORCE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE PROGRESS ON THIS.
GOVERNOR: I KNOW THIS IS A SUBJECT WHICH HONOURABLE MEMBERS FEEL QUITE STRONGLY ABOUT. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I THINK THE MOST SENSIBLE WAY TO PROCEED IS, FIRST OF ALL, TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC AND SENSIBLE PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE, TO IMPLEMENT THOSE AND TO SEE HOW FAR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE PROPOSED REFORMS MEETS SOME OF THE PUBLIC ANXIETIES WHICH PRESUMABLY CONCERN THE HONOURABLE MEMBER. WE ALL WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICE HAVE THE MAXIMUM SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND WE ALL RECOGNISE THAT WILL INVOLVE, FROM TIME TO TIME, TAKING TOUGH MEASURES WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICER FALLS BELOW THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF HIS OR HER COLLEAGUES. WE EQUALLY, I'M SURE, ALL. RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE TO A GOOD AND EFFECTIVE POLICE FORCE OF HIGH POLICE MORALE, AND WHAT WE ARE FACED WITH IS A PROBLEM OF BALANCING THOSE TWO FACTORS, BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, THE CONCERN OF THE ADMINISTRATION IS TO ENSURE THAT THE PCC'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CARRIED INTO ACTION AND PERHAPS WE CAN REVIEW WHETHER WE NEED TO GO FURTHER IN THE LIGHT OF PROGRESS ON THAT FRONT.
MR
WONG WAI-YIN:
THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE BEFORE DECIDING WHERE TO GO FROM THERE. BUT ON THE 24TH APRIL, THERE WAS SOME LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR WHO WISHED TO AMEND THE MOTION SO THAT THE IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS WOULD BECOME PART OF THE MOTION BUT IT WAS TURNED DOWN AND SO I THINK IF LEGCO REFLECTS PUBLIC OPINION, SUCH PUBLIC OPINION AS REFLECTED SHOULD BE RESPECTED OR IS IT THAT IF THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO PASS SOMETHING THAT IT WOULD ACCEPT FAVOURABLE PUBLIC OPINION OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION FEELS IS NOT FAVOURABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION THEN ADMINISTRATION WILL REJECT LEGCO OPINION ON GROUNDS OF RESOURCES OTHER SIMILAR FACTORS?
THE
AND
THE
GOVERNOR:
NO,
LET ME PUT A SIMPLE AND RATHER OBVIOUS POINT ΤΟ HONOURABLE MEMBER. I GUESS IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE BEST REFLECTION OF PUBLIC OPINION IN THE UNITED STATES IS THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES BUT BOTH OF US ARE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY PRESIDENT AND EVERY EXECUTIVE AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT CONGRESS SAYS, THAT'S NOT EVEN THE CASE WHERE THE MAJORITY IN THE CONGRESS COMES FROM THE SAME PARTY AS THE PRESIDENT. THE EXECUTIVE HAS TO EXERCISE ITS JUDGEMENT AND HAS TO EXPLAIN IT'S JUDGEMENT TO A LEGISLATURE BUT WE WON'T ALWAYS FIND OURSELVES, I FEAR, IN TOTAL HARMONY AND AMITY. I HOPE OVER THE YEARS THAT WE'LL HAVE MORE HARMONY THAN DISHARMONY BUT WE WON'T ALWAYS FIND OURSELVES TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT.
/MR WONG