XN000022-1985-07-10 — Page 23

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WEDNES

LY 10, 1985

ON THE SUBJECT OF HEUNG YEE KUK MEMBERSHIP OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, MR CHEUNG SAID THERE HAD BEEN A +CONTROVERSY+ ON WHETHER OR NOT THE THREE APPOINTED SEATS WHICH WERE ONCE UNDERSTOOD TO BE DESIGNATED FOR KUK MEMBERS SHOULD BE WRITTEN INTO THE BILL. SOME MEMBERS OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL HAD SUGGESTED THAT THESE THREE APPOINTMENTS SHOULD BE WRITTEN INTO THE LAW.

→AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL, MR CHEUNG SAID, I AGREE THAT SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT WILL GIVE THE HEUNG YEE KUK POSITIVE RECOGNITION OF ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES (REGIONAL COUNCIL AREAS), NOT ONLY IN PREVIOUS YEARS BUT IN THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION. +

THE COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL COULD THEN SUFFICIENTLY REFLECT THE WEIGHT OF THE VIEWS OF THE KUK.

ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THE NECESSITY OF APPOINTING THREE KUK MEMBERS TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AT PRESENT, IT SHOULD NOT PRESUME THAT THIS NECESSITY WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO EXIST IN 1987 AND MR CHEUNG BELIEVED AN ACCESS FOR THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WAS ALSO ESSENTIAL.

+HENCE, A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT CAN ASCERTAIN THE LINK BETWEEN THE KUK AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IS ALWAYS DESIRABLE,+ HE SAID.

MR CHEUNG SAID TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S OFFICE ADDRESSED TO THE HEUNG YEE KUK WHICH INDICATED THAT SUFFICIENT WEIGHT AND SPECIAL MEMBERSHIPS WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE KUK IN THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL.

+RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG RESTS PARTLY ON TRUST AND CONTINUITY OF POLICIES, WHETHER THEY ARE MADE ORALLY OR COMMITTED IN WRITING BY PREDECESSORS, HE SAID,

+THEREFORE, I PERSONALLY CONSIDER THAT WE SHOULD GIVE THE APPOINTMENT OF KUK MEMBERS TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL A LEGAL FOOTING NOW, AND AMEND SUCH PROVISION AT A TIME WHEN THE NECESSITY CEASES TO EXIST.+

J

ON THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. MR CHEUNG SAID HE HAD LITTLE OPTIMISM IN EXPECTING EXPENDITURE TO BE ADEQUATELY MET FROM REVENUE GENERATED FROM RATES LEVIED ON COUNCIL AREAS. AND ADJUSTMENT OF RATES TO A HIGHER LEVEL WOULD BRING ABOUT MUCH CONTROVERSY.

+THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO PREPARE FOR ADEQUATE SUPPORT TO AFFORD THE COUNCIL A HEALTHY AUTONOMY WHEN IT IS ESTABLISHED, + HE SAID.

/AS TO