XN000022-1988-02-10 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1988

19

DISTRICT BOARDS (AMENDMENT} BILL SUPPORTED

THE DISTRICT BOARDS (AMENDMENT} BILL 1988 WAS SUPPORTED BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, PROF THE HON C.K. POON SAID TODAY

(WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL IN THE COUNCIL, PROF POON NOTED THAT THE BILL STIPULATED THAT A DISTRICT BOARD MEMBER SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE BOARD AUTOMATICALLY IF HE FAILED, WITHOUT THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE BOARD, TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE

FOR A PERIOD OF SIX CONSECUTIVE MONTHS, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF PROLONGED 1LLNESS.

BOARD

"THE OPPORTUNITY HAS ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO DEFINE MORE CLEARLY WHAT 15 MEANT BY A DISTRICT BOARD MEETING AND TO INCLUDE SOME OTHER TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

"WE UNDERSTAND THAT MEMBERS OF THE 19 DISTRICT BOARDS WERE CONSULTED ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, HE SAID.

+

FROM

PROF POON CONCEDED THAT UNDER THE PRESENT DISTRICT BOARDS ORDINANCE, A DISTRICT BOARD MEMBER COULD BE ABSENT

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE MONTHS WITHOUT OBTAINING THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF SUCH ABSENCE.

BOARD "HE CAN OBTAIN THE APPROVAL OF THE THAT

RETROSPECTIVELY.

WE

AGRER

ABSENCE OF THIS NATURE COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BOARD, HE SAID.

PROF POON, HOWEVER, POINTED OUT TWO AREAS IN THE BILL WHICH THE LRGCO AD HOC GROUP FORMED TO STUDY IT HAD CONSIDERED TO BE UNCLEAR.

"SINCE THE COMMENCEMENT DATE OF THE SIX-MONTH ABSENCE PERIOD IS NOT CLEARLY SPELT OUT IN THE BILL, IT IS ENVISAGED THAT UNNECESSARY LEGAL ARGUMENTS MAY ARISE AT A LATER DATE, HE SAID.

*

"THE BILL., AS IT STANDS NOW, PERMITS A PERSON то APPLY FOR LEAVE, BY REASON OF PROLONGED ILLNESS, WITHIN A REASONABLE HIS HAVING RECOVERED OR SUBSTANTIVELY RECOVERED FROM ILLNESS.

PERIOD OF

IS RATHER "THE USE OF THE WORD 'REASONABLE

LOOSE AND [T IS

APPLYING ENVISAGED THAT IN

THIS RULE DIFFERENT BOARDS MAY ADOPT DIFFERENT STANDARDS AND AS A RESULT THE SITUATION COULD CONFUSING,' HE ADDED.

"

BECOME

QUITE

TO RECTIFY THE ABOVE PROBLEMS, HE SAID

OF THE

LEGCO

LEAVE

MEETING

MEMBERS COMMENCEMENT DATE OF THE AD HOC GROUP HAD PROPOSED THAT THE PERIOD SHOULD START ON THE DAY NEXT FOLLOWING THE DATE OF THE OF THE BOARD AT WHICH THE BOARD MEMBER WAS FIRST ABSENT.

THE GROUP