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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1994
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MOTION ON RATES MISGUIDED": FS
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR HAMISH MACLEOD, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DESCRIBED AS "MISGUIDRD" A MOTION MOVED BY THE HON SZĒTO WAH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO REPROVE THE GOVERNOR OVER THE RATES ISSUE.
THE FIRST REASON, HE SAID, WAS THAT A MOTION REPROVING THE GOVERNOR WAS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER AND IT SHOULD BE RESERVED POR SERIOUS POLICY OR CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES OR ITS IMPACT WAS GREATLY DEVALUED.
HE APPRECIATED THAT PEOPLE NATURALLY PREFERRED TO PAY LESS ON RATES BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF A GENERALLY VERY FAVOURABLE BUDGET, HE SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE FOR ONE MOMENT THERE WAS A VERY STRONG FEELING THAT A SERIOUS WRONG HAD BEEN DONE WHICH MUST BE RIGHTED.
THE SECOND REASON WAS THAT THE MOTION SEEMED TO REST ON AN UNHELPFUL SIMPLIFICATION OF WHAT DEMOCRACY MEANT OR SHOULD MEAN IN HONG KONG, SIR HAMISH SAID.
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HE POINTED OUT THAT THE FACT WAS THAT HONG KONG'S SYSTEM. LIKE MANY OTHERS, INVOLVED A BALANCE OF POWERS.
THE SYSTEM SIMPLY WOULD NOT WORK IF IT INVOLVED THE EXECUTIVE RUBBER-STAMPING THE VIEWS OF THE LEGISLATURE, ANY MORE THAN IT WOULD WORK IF IT INVOLVED THE REVERSE THE LEGISLATURE RUBBER-STAMPING THE VIEWS OF THE EXECUTIVE, HE SAID.
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ELABORATING ON THE FIRST REASON, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY NEITHER THE ADDITIONAL BILL RESULTING FROM THE RATES REVALUATION THE TOTAL BILL FOR RATES PAYABLE BY INDIVIDUAL RATEPAYERS COULD CONVINCINGLY DESCRIBED AS "A BURDEN ON THE PROPLE OF HONG KONG".
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HE SAID A MODEST REVALUATION OF RATEABLE VALUES AMELIORATED CAP ON THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE WAS HARDLY A SUFFICIENT CAUSE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL DRAMA.
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AND IF THE PUBLIC THINKS DESPITE THESE FACTS THAT THE RATES REVALUATION ES IN FACT A BURDEN, THEY ARE BEING UNCHARACTERISTICALLY SHY ABOUT VOICING THEIR CONCERN, HE SAID.
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BASED ON THE OBJECTIONS RECEIVED SO FAR TO THE NEW RATEABLE VALUES, THE PROPORTION OF OBJECTIONS TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS WAS JUST 1.3 PER CENT, AS COMPARED TO 3.1 PER CENT AFTER THE LAST REVALUATION IN 1991.
SIR HAMISH NOTED THAT THIS WAS THE LOWEST RATE OF OBJECTIONS IN ANY OF THE LAST THREE REVALUATIONS.
ON HIS SECOND REASON, HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG'S SYSTEM WAS VERY DIFFERENT TO THAT IMPLIED BY THE MOTION.
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A CONVENIENT SHORTHAND DESCRIPTION OF OUR PRESENT SYSTEM IS THAT IT INVOLVES AN EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT, ACCOUNTABLE TO A PARTLY – ELECTED LEGISLATURE, HE SAID.
/THE RELATIONSHIP