XN000022-1985-07-10 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985

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+THE SUCCESS OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL DEPENDS HEAVILY UPON THE SUPPORT RENDERED BY DISTRICT BOARDS TOWARDS THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL,+ HE SAID.

THE SELECTION OF DISTRICT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES WAS ESSENTIALLY AN INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER FOR DISTRICT BOARDS, AND SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS THEMSELVES.

CLAUSE 60 LIMITED THE CHOICE OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND SHOULD ACCORDINGLY BE REPEALED.

+ IN MAKING THEIR DECISION, HOWEVER, DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BEAR IN MIND THAT BOTH THE CONTINUITY OF SERVICE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE INCUMBENT DISTRICT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, HE SAID.

IMMUNITY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS CALLED FOR

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SOME KIND OF PROTECTIVE IMMUNITY MUST BE GRANTED TO MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR CHEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL, WAS SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL BILL 1985.

HE SAID ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE AGAINST SLANDER AND LIBEL SHOULD BE GRANTED HE THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE RECOGNISED THAT THE REGIONAL COUNCIL CONDUCTED OPEN MEETINGS AND THAT MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WERE RECOGNISED SPEAKERS FOR LOCAL INTERESTS.

+THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO ENABLE MEMBERS TO SPEAK UP AND TO ENCOURAGE GENUINE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS IN ITS DELIBERATION, SOME KIND OF PROTECTIVE IMMUNITY MUST BE GRANTED TO THEM, HE SAID.

IF MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL WERE PROVIDED WITH QUALIFIED PRIVILEGE UNDER SECTION 51 OF THE URBAN COUNCIL ORDINANCE WHICH GAVE PROTECTION TO MEMBERS FROM PERSONAL LIABILITY FOR +ANY MATTER OR THING DONE+ BY THEM BONA FIDE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE COUNCIL. IT SHOULD BE LOGICAL AND REASONABLE THAT MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL SHOULD BE +PRIVILEGED+ ACCORDINGLY.

+ IT IS AMPLY UNDERSTOOD THAT QUALIFIED PRIVILEGE DOES NOT EXEMPT MEMBERS FROM MALICIOUS DEFAMATION OR ILL-WILL STATEMENTS WHICH I THINK EMINENT PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE WOULD NOT INDULGE IN, AND BELIEVE THAT WHEN THEY SPEAK ON A MATTER OF INTEREST IN THE LOCALITY THEY DO HONESTLY BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAY IS TRUE, + MR CHEUNG SAID.

ON THE