SEATS
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1994
THE ABOLITION OF APPOINTED MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD IS NOT, AS SOME MEMBERS SUGGEST, A RADICAL CHANGE. RATHER, IT REPRESENTS THE CULMINATION OF A GRADUAL PROCESS OF CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THESE BODIES OVER THE YEARS. THE URBAN COUNCIL WAS SET UP IN THE 1930S; THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE EARLY 1980S; AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IN 1986. BY ANY YARDSTICK, FULLY ELECTED MEMBERSHIP FOR THESE BODIES IN 1994/95 CAN HARDLY BE DESCRIBED AS A DEVELOPMENT OF UNDUE HASTE. NOR, THEREFORE, SHOULD IT CAUSE ANY DISRUPTION TO THE OPERATIONS OF THESE BODIES. INDEED, IT IS THE LOGICAL STEP TO TAKE AS THIS COUNCIL WILL ITSELF ALSO BECOME FULLY ELECTED IN 1995.
THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT AFTER THE APPOINTED MEMBERS HAVE GONE, THEIR EXPERTISE CANNOT BE READILY REPLACED. IT IS RECOGNISED, AND ONE CAN HARDLY OVER-EMPHASISE THIS, THAT OVER THE YEARS APPOINTED MEMBERS HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ONE MUST EQUALLY RECOGNISE THE NERD FOR OUR SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS EVOLVING TO MEET THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. ANY CASE, THERE ARB ALREADY LEGAL PROVISIONS FOR THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS TO CO-OPT EXPERTS ONTO THEIR COMMITTEES IF SUCH A NEED ARISES.
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THE STAND OF THE ADMINISTRATION IS CLEAR. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS BOTH TIMELY AND APPROPRIATE TO ABOLISH APPOINTED MEMBERSHIP IN MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND DISTRICT BOARDS. THE THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS WILL THEREFORE VOTE AGAINST MR ERIC LI'S AMENDMENT TO RETAIN SUCH MEMBERSHIP.
FINALLY, THERE IS THE QUESTION OF EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSHIP IN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE NINE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARDS. THESE EX-OFFICIO SEATS WERE ESTABLISHED IN RECOGNITION OF THE SPECIAL INTERESTS OF THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. OVER THE YEARS, THE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS, WHO ARE THEMSELVES ELECTED, HAVE CONTRIBUTED MUCH IN PRESERVING THE LINK BETWEEN THE BODIES THEY SIT ON AND THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION IN THAT PART OF HONG ! KONG. IN PARTICULAR, THEY HAVE MADE IMPORTANT INPUT IN THE PLANNING OF SERVICES AND FACILITIES TO IMPROVE THE GENERAL WELL-BEING OF INHABITANTS IN RURAL AREAS. IN THE IMMEDIATE YEARS AHEAD, THE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS WILL, WE BELIEVE, CONTINUE TO HAVE A USEFUL ROLE TO PERFORM IN THIS RESPECT.
IT HAS BEEN ARGUED THAT RURAL ELECTIONS ARE DISCRIMINATORY. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE RURAL COMMITTEES OR THE HEUNG YEE KUK WHICH ALLOW FOR DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX OR SOCIAL ORIGIN IN RESPECT OF THE ELECTIONS OF RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK. AS FOR THE ELECTIONS OF VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES WHICH FORM THE LOWEST TIER OF ELECTIONS IN THE RURAL ELECTORAL SYSTEM, EACH "HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD" AT PRESENT GIVEN ONE VOTE IN THESE ELECTIONS. OVER 95% OF VILLAGES ALREADY ALLOW FEMALE HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD TO VOTE. ABOUT OF THE VILLAGES ALSO ALLOW HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD WHO ARE NON-INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS TO VOTE. SO THE OVERALL PICTURE IS NOT AS RESTRICTIVE AS PORTRAYED BY SOME MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL.
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THE 50%
FOR THESE REASONS, THE THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS WILL VOTE AGAINST MR MARTIN LEE'S AMENDMENT TO ABOLISH THE EX-OFFICIO SEATS THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
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/MR PRESIDENT