XN000022-1985-06-26 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1985

SHE SAID THERE HAD BEEN MANY QUERIES AS TO HOW THE PRESIDENT MAY EXERCISE HIS DISCRETION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL, AND WHETHER IT WAS OPEN FOR HIM TO ABUSE THE POWERS CONFERRED UPON HIM BY THE BILL.

+TO ANSWER THESE QUERIES I BELIEVE WE NEED ONLY LOOK AT THE REAL SITUATION.

+YOUR EXCELLENCY IS THE PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNCIL EXERCISING THE POWERS VESTED IN YOU BY THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT AS THE GOVERNOR.+

BY NOVEMBER, 1985, 24 ELECTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WOULD JOIN THE COUNCIL.

+THE AFFAIRS OF THIS COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTED UNDER YOUR PRESIDENCY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ELECTED AND APPOINTED MEMBERS AND IT IS NOT LIKELY THAT THERE CAN BE ANY ABUSE OF POWER.

+ IN THE MEANTIME, THE SELECT COMMITTEE WILL FUNCTION UNDER THIS NEW ORDINANCE UNDER YOUR PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL.

+IF WE SHOULD THEN LOOK A FEW YEARS FORWARD WHEN A PRESIDENT WILL BE ELECTED BY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, THE MEMBERS ELECTED OR APPOINTED WILL HAVE A STRONG INFLUENCE OVER THE PRESIDENT WHO MUST ACT IN A FAIR AND REASONABLE MANNER.

+AGAIN, THERE SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE DANGER OF ABUSE OF POWER BY THE PRESIDENT. +

'FUTURE COUNCILLORS MUST KNOW WHERE THEY STAND' ****

WITH A NEW-STYLE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COMING INTO EXISTENCE IN OCTOBER THE POWERS AND PRIVILEGES OF COUNCILLORS SHOULD BE SET OUT CLEARLY SO THAT MEMBERS KNEW EXACTLY WHERE THEY STOOD.

SPEAKING DURING THE THIRD READING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL, THE HON S.L. CHEN ALSO SAID THE BILL WOULD SERVE AS A REFERENCE POINT FOR THE NEW LEGISLATURE.

+FROM THIS POINT OF VIEW, I BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENT BILL WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS INCORPORATED IS BOTH SATISFACTORY AND ADEQUATE,+ HE SAID.

SHOULD CHANGES OR IMPROVEMENTS TO ITS PROVISIONS BE REQUIRED IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE, THE BILL COULD ALWAYS BE FURTHER AMENDED IN FUTURE.

/THE LAWS