MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1993
GOVERNOR SETS DEADLINE FOR COMPLETING THE BILL
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN THIS (MONDAY) EVENING SAID THE BILL ON THE VOTING METHODS AND VOTING AGE HAD TO BE COMPLETED BY FEBRUARY 23 IN ORDER TO HAVE THE TIME TO PUT IN PLACE THE VOTERS' REGISTER IN APRIL NEXT YEAR.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S AWARDS FOR INDUSTRY, MR PATTEN SAID: "I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE OUGHT TO GET THESE MEASURES ONTO THE STATUTE BOOK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
"YOU CAN'T GO ON PUTTING OFF THINGS FOREVER.
"WE DON'T WANT TO PUSH THINGS FASTER OR FURTHER THAN WE NEED TO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THERE COMES A POINT WHEN WE'VE JUST GOT TO MOVE ON. AND THAT IS THE CASE THIS WEEK AS WAS LAST WEEK.
BUT
DEFENDING
GOVERNOR
THE ROLE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE SAID THE RIGHT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNDER THE PRESENT CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS, THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT WAS ABSOLUTE CLEAR.
"IT'S THERE TO PERFORM THE ROLE OF ADVISING AND GIVING CONSENT BUT NOT JUST ADVISING, GIVING CONSENT AS WELL, MR PATTEN SAID.
"AND, ONE LOOKS TO THE FUTURE AND SEES ABSOLUTELY CLEARLY THAT UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW, UNDER, FOR EXAMPLE, ARTICLE 55 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, UNDER ARTICLE 73 OF THE BASIC LAW, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS THE JOB OF AMENDING OR REPEALING OUR LAWS, OF WRITING OUR LAWS.
90
"IT'S THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO WHICH WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE. THOSE WHO PRETEND THAT LEGCO DOESN'T HAVE A ROLE, THOSE WHO PRETEND THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD JUST BE THERE FOR PROVIDING THE SORT OF OFFICIAL CHOP ON DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE EXECUTIVE, HAVEN'T READ OR UNDERSTOOD THE JOINT DECLARATION TO WHICH BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA PUT THEIR NAMES, HAVEN'T UNDERSTOOD THE BASIC LAW WHICH ARE OUR FUTURE CONSTITUTION,"
TRANSCRIPT OF REMARKS BY GOVERNOR TO MEDIA AFTER
PRESENTATION OF HIS AWARDS FOR INDUSTRY
* * * * *
GOVERNOR: YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING AROUND THOSE PRODUCTS. THEY ARE TERRIFIC EXAMPLES OF THE RANGE OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN. ANYBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER HONG KONG CAN STAY SUCCESSFUL, THEY SHOULD LOOK AT AN EXHIBITION LIKE THAT. ANY QUESTION? THERE AREN'T ANY?
QUESTION: BILL..
SOME
? [
LEGISLATORS
ΤΟ SAID THAT THEY ARE GOING
DELAY THE
/GOVERNOR: