XN000022-1985-10-30 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985

CONTINUITY SOUGHT FROM NEW LEGCO - DUNN

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THE 1985 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BREAKS NEW GROUND YET THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG LOOK TO IT TO PROVIDE THE CONTINUITY SO NECESSARY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF OUR SOCIETY, SENIOR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER, THE HON LYDIA DUNN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN DELIVERING VALEDICTOR IES TO OUTGOING MEMBERS, SHE SAID, +MORE MEMBERS HAVE LEFT US TODAY AND MORE MEMBERS HAVE JOINED TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNCIL.

+YET IT IS CONTINUITY ABOVE ALL, THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG EXPECT FROM US.+

SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION OF THE COUNCIL FROM ITS FORMER PATTERN HAD LED TO THE DEPARTURE OF SIX OFFICIAL MEMBERS.

SHE SAID THE CHANGES WERE INEVITABLE AND INDICATED A CHANGING ROLE FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE.

+1 AM SURE THAT THOSE WHO ONCE SAT HERE WILL STILL BE SEEN ADVISING US IN COMMITTEE AND INFORMALLY AS MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY AND THE PREPARATION OF LEGISLATION, MISS DUNN SAID.

PAYING TRIBUTE TO RETIRING UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, MISS DUNN NOTED THAT SIR ROGER LOBO, HER PREDECESSOR, HAD JOINED THE COUNCIL IN 1972 AND HAD BEEN THE SENIOR MEMBER SINCE 1981.

SHE SAID IT WAS DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG THAT SIR ROGER'S LEADERSHIP CAME TO PROMINENCE.

+ THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE SECRET YET EVERY MOVE WAS KNOWN TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. NOTHING COULD BE SAID YET THE STRENGTH OF FEELING ON THE ISSUES AT STAKE HAD TO BE ASSESSED. AND THESE ISSUES AFFECTED THE WHOLE LIVELIHOOD OF HONG KONG.

+THIS WAS A HARROWING TIME FOR ANYONE ON EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BUT FOR THE LEADER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHICH WAS NOT PRIVY TO THE TALKS, IT MUST HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY DEL ICATE, SHE SAID.

ALTHOUGH HONG KONG ITSELF HAD NO STATUS IN THE TALKS, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THIS COUNCIL COULD DO CONSTITUTIONALLY ABOUT EITHER THE TALKS OR THE OUTCOME, SIR ROGER MOVED THE FAMOUS +LOBO MOTION+ EXPRESSING THE VIEW THAT THIS COUNCIL DEEMS IT ESSENTIAL THAT ANY PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE DEBATED IN THIS COUNCIL BEFORE ANY FINAL AGREEMENT IS REACHED+, MISS DUNN ADDED.

/+IN THAT