XN000022-1985-06-12 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1985

PUBLIC MORE AWARE OF LEGCO'S VITAL ROLE

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THE PUBLIC DEBATE WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE SINCE PUBLICATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL 1985 PROVIDED +A CLEAR INDICATION OF A HEIGHTENED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY THE COUNCIL IN THE AFFAIRS OF HONG KONG, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY.

MAKING HIS FIRST SPEECH IN THE CHAMBER AS CHIEF SECRETARY WHEN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, MR AKERS-JONES OUTLINED PROPOSALS FOR SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS AND DELETIONS TO THE BILL, AND SAID:

+1 BELIEVE THAT THE BILL IN ITS AMENDED FORM WILL COMMEND ITSELF TO MEMBERS AND TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.+

HE ADDED: +IT PROTECTS THE PRINCIPLES, IT ESTABLISHES THE PROCEDURES IT WILL SET THE NEW LEGISLATURE ON COURSE IN ITS OWN COUNCIL CHAMBER, AND I HAVE NO HESITATION THEREFORE IN PROPOSING THAT THE BILL BE READ A SECOND TIME.+

THE PROPOSALS, HE SAID. HAD BEEN MADE AFTER SERIOUS AND PROLONGED DELIBERATION AND CONSULTATION AND WOULD BE CONTAINED IN AN AMENDED TEXT OF THE FULL BILL WHICH WOULD BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE AT THE END OF THIS WEEK FOR GENERAL INFORMATION.

+ TRUST THAT THE CHANGES TO THE BILL WHEN IT APPEARS IN THE GAZETTE ON FRIDAY WILL MEET MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE CRITICISMS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE.

+'STRANGERS' WILL GO SO WILL INTENTIONAL DISRESPECT ' A REVISED CLAUSE WILL EXPRESS THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE THAT COUNCIL

IF BUSINESS SHOULD BE IN PUBLIC LEAVING MEMBERS TO DECIDE WHEN, AT ALL, THEY NEED TO CONDUCT SOME BUSINESS IN PRIVATE.

+THERE MUST BE TRUST IN THE COUNCIL TO USE ITS GOOD SENSE AND HAVE REGARD TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST WHEN DECIDING TO EXERCISE THIS POWER,+ MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID HE WAS VERY CONSCIOUS +OF THE DEEP CONCERN SHOWN OVER THIS LEGISLATION BY LAWYERS, JOURNALISTS, PUBLIC SPIRITED GROUPS AND, IN RESPONSE TO THEIR ANXIETY PERHAPS OF A WIDER CONCERN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE WAS SOME HIDDEN PURPOSE BEHIND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE LEGISLATION INTO THE COUNCIL AT THE PRESENT TIME.+

+I HAVE NO NEED TO ASSURE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE, BUT LET ME SAY SO QUITE EMPHATICALLY TO THIS WIDER AUDIENCE WHICH IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS COUNCIL TODAY. THERE IS NO HIDDEN AGENDA, + MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

THE DEBATË