XN000022-1985-04-03 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985

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POINTS RAISED ON 'SUBSTANT I AL CONNEXION"

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REGISTRATION OFFICERS SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY BRIEFED ON THE CRITERIA OF SUBSTANTIAL CONNEXION+ TO BE APPLIED IN RELATION TO FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, THE HON PETER C. WONG SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE STRESSED THIS POINT WHEN SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL 1985.

MR WONG SAID ALTHOUGH CLAUSE 2(4) OF THE BILL ATTEMPTED TO GIVE A BROAD DEFINITION OF WHAT CONSTITUTED A +SUBSTANTIAL CONNEXION+, THIS WAS NOT REALLY HELPFUL IN DECIDING WHETHER A PARTICULAR PERSON HAD A SUBSTANTIAL CONNECTION.

IT WAS THEREFORE NOT SURPRISING, HE SAID, THAT CONCERNS WERE EXPRESSED BY VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY, NOT THE LEAST BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP CONVENED BY HIM.

+WHILE MY COLLEAGUES AND DO APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULTIES IN ARRIVING AT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF SUCH CONNEXION, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT REGISTRATION OFFICERS SHOULD AT LEAST BE THOROUGHLY BRIEFED ON THE CRITERIA TO BE APPLIED.

+FLEXIBILITY SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH LACK OF CLEAR GUIDELINES,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT UNDOUBTEDLY THE VIEWS OF THE VARIOUS REPRESENTATIVE ORGANISATIONS WOULD BE USEFUL IN DRAWING UP THE GUIDELINES AND HE BELIEVED THIS WAS AN AREA WHICH MERITED FURTHER CONSULTATION,

+REASONS FOR DISQUALIFYING A PERSON FOR NOT HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL CONNEXION SHOULD PREFERABLY BE GIVEN AND AVENUES FOR APPEAL AGAINST THE DECISION OF THE REGISTRATION OFFICER SHOULD BE AVAILABLE,+ MR WONG SAID.

ON THE BILL AS A WHOLE, MR WONG SAID HE REALISED THE ADMINISTRATION WAS WORKING UNDER GREAT PRESSURE BUT IT WAS NEVERTHELESS A MATTER FOR REGRET THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT BILL SHOULD HAVE TO BE PUSHED THROUGH IN THE SHORT SPACE OF THREE WEEKS.

ON BEHALF OF THE AD HOC GROUP, HE EXPRESSED APPRECIATION OF THE VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF BANKS, THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES, THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG, THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND THE STAFF SIDE OF THE MODEL SCALE I STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL.

TURNING TO THE AGREED AMENDMENTS, MR WONG SAID THAT IN CLAUSE 3(2), THE WORDS +3 MONTHS+ WOULD BE SUBSTITUTED BY +90 DAYS+.

THS REASON