XN000022-1988-02-10 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1988

IMPLICATIONS NOT BENEFICIAL TO URBCO, PUBLIC

THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1988 IS POORLY TIMED AND THE FUTURE IMPLICATIONS ARE NOT AT ALL BENEFICIAL TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE HASTY MANNER IN WHICH THE BILL HAD BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL HAD CAUSED MUCH CONTROVERSY AND MISUNDERSTANDING, AND DISTRESS AND EMBARRASSMENT TO URBAN COUNCILLORS.

IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THERE WERE CERTAIN FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS RELATED TO THE BILL WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION REFUSED TO DISCLOSE UNTIL THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER TODAY, AND WHICH HAD A SUBSTANTIAL EFFECT ON THE FUTURE COMPOSITION

THE URBAN COUNCIL.

OF

PAPER, THE

"IN SO PRE-EMPTING THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN VERY UNFAIR TO THE URBAN COUNCIL, HE SAID.

MR CHEONG-LEEN ALSO SAID THAT BECAUSE OF SUCH QUESTIONABLE HASTE IN INTRODUCING THE BILL., THE GOVERNMENT WAS UNABLE ΤΟ FULLY CONSULT THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT ON THE FINANCIAL COSTS AND THE TIME REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND THE SUPPORTING STAFF SERVICES TO GIVE EFFECT ΤΟ THE CHANGES IN MEMBERSHIP INDICATED IN THE WHITE PAPER.

HE SAID THAT IN THE AGB MONAIR AND OTHER MENTIONED IN THE SURVEY OFFICE'S OFFICIAL REPORT, IT THAT THE PUBLIC WAS GENERALLY QUITE HAPPY FOR URBAN CONTINUE WITH THEIR EX-OFFICIO DISTRICT BOARD SEATS.

SURVEY REPORTS WAS MADE CLEAR COUNCILLORS TO

THEREFORE, HE QUESTIONED WHY THERE WAS SUCH AN UNDUE HASTE IN RUSHING THROUGH THE BILL.

HE ALSO ASKED WHY THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT DECIDED ON THE WISER COURSE OF FIRST PUBLISHING THE WHITE PAPER BEFORE PUTTING INTO EFFECT ANY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

H

SURELY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE TIMELY IF THE PROPOSED CHANGES, AS STATED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY ON THE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSHIP OF URBAN COUNCILLORS ON DISTRICT BOARDS, WERE TO TAKE PLACE IN 1991?

MR CHEONG-LEEN ALSO SAID THAT URBAN COUNCILLORS COULD HARDLY OPPOSE REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING RESTRICTION ON URBAN COUNCILLORS FROM HOLDING AN ELECTED SEAT IN A DISTRICT BOARD, IN VIEW OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S STATEMENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED ΤΟ DISCONTINUE THEIR EX-OFFIC10 MEMBERSHIP ON DISTRICT BOARDS FROM 1989.

LINKS.

CONTRARY TO THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, THE PUBLIC WAS IN FAVOUR OF URBAN COUNCILLORS RETAINING THEIR EX-OFFICIO HE SAID.

STILL RE

IN VIEW OF THIS, HE SAID, THE EX-OFFICIO LINK SHOULD KEPT EVEN AFTER 1989 FOR ALL URBAN COUNCILLORS WHO CHOSE NOT TO RUN OR WHO FAILED TO GET ELECTED TO DISTRICT BOARDS.

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