XN000022-1985-07-10 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985

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FLEXIBILITY SUPPORTED

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APPOINTMENTS TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL SHOULD RETAIN AN ELEMENT OF FLEXIBILITY, THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL BILL 1985, MR YEUNG SAID THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL HAD SUGGESTED THAT CLAUSE 6(C) BE AMENDED TO THE EFFECT THAT THE THREE APPOINTMENTS FROM THE HEUNG YEE KUK SHOULD BE WRITTEN INTO THE

LAW.

+WHILE I FULLY APPRECIATE THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION THAT THE HEUNG YEE KUK HAS MADE OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE NO INTENTION TO UNDERMINE ITS ROLE IN THE FUTURE, 1 AGREE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL SHOULD RETAIN AN ELEMENT OF FLEXIBILITY, HE SAID.

+ THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ASSURED THAT THE THREE APPOINTMENTS FROM THE HEUNG YEE KUK WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS 'CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE'; I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS UNDERTAKING WILL ENSURE THAT THE INTEREST OF THE KUK BE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED IN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

+1 SUPPORT CLAUSE 6(C) IN ITS PRESENT FORM.+

MR YEUNG SAID HE SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL TO REPEAL CLAUSE 60 WHICH STIPULATED THAT DISTRICT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED TO THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY SERVE ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL UNTIL MARCH 31, 1988.

CERTAIN DISTRICT BOARDS HAD EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION TOWARDS THIS PROPOSED ARRANGEMENT AND ALLEGED THAT THEY HAD ELECTED THEIR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEIR TENURE OF OFFICE WOULD EXPIRE IN ONE YEAR'S TIME.

UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE SUPPORTED THE ADDITION OF PART IX WHICH GAVE A DISTRICT BOARD AN OPTION TO ELECT AT A MEETING TO BE HELD NOT EARLIER THAN MARCH 1, 1986, OR LATER THAN MARCH 31, 1986, ONE OF ITS MEMBERS TO BE THE FIRST REPRESENTATIVE MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

+THIS OPTION WILL GIVE THOSE DISTRICT BOARDS WHICH SO WISH TO HOLD FRESH ELECTIONS, MR YEUNG SAID.

DISTRICT BOARDS WHICH WISHED TO LET THEIR PRESENT REPRESENTATIVES STAY IN OFFICE MAY CHOOSE NOT TO HOLD ELECTIONS THEREBY ENABLING THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO CONTINUE THEIR SERVICE IN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL UNTIL MARCH 31 OF THE YEAR IN WHICH THE NEXT ORDINARY ELECTION WAS HELD FOR DISTRICTS.

/+THE SUCCESS