XN000022-1984-07-06 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1984

THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DRAWN FROM A REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON HOW IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE, MAKING COMPARISON WITH THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE IN BRITAIN WHICH HAS MET IN PUBLIC SINCE 1978.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD RETAIN THE POWER TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS FROM ITS MEETINGS IN CASES WHERE IT THOUGHT THE PUBLIC INTEREST REQUIRED CONFIDENTIALITY.

TO CLEAR THE WAY FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE STANDING ORDERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND TO RE-ORGANISE THE AUDIT CYCLE, SO THAT THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S REPORT WOULD ALREADY BE A PUBLISHED DOCUMENT WHEN THE PAC MET TO CONSIDER IT IN PUBLIC SESSION. IN THE PAST THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S REPORT WAS ONLY TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN THE REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE WAS READY FOR PRESENTATION.

THE AMENDMENTS TO THE STANDING ORDERS WILL BE MADE BY RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JULY 18.

RE-ORGANISATION OF THE AUDIT CYCLE IS PROPOSED UNDER AN AUDIT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY.

THE BILL IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE ITS THIRD READING ALSO ON JULY 18, IN TIME FOR THE OPEN MEETINGS OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE ON THE NEXT REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT.

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON THE BILL MAY WRITE TO UMELCO, AT SWIRE HOUSE, 12TH FLOOR, CHATER ROAD, OR TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS, AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.

OFFICIALS TO HAVE NO DB VOTING RIGHTS

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GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WILL CEASE TO BE FULL MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS AFTER THE ELECTIONS IN MARCH NEXT YEAR, BUT WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND MEETINGS THOUGH THEY WILL HAVE NO VOTING RIGHTS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

THE BILL FOLLOWS A RECENTLY COMPLETED REVIEW OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES AND ARRANGEMENTS, AND PAVES THE WAY FOR THE NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS TO BE INCREASED FROM 132 TO 236 FOR THE MARCH 1985 ELECTIONS.

A SPOKESMAN