XN000022-1988-03-16 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988

MR POON ADDED THAT HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSED AN ENLARGED FINANCIAL CONSTITUENCY BY GRANTING ONE ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIVE IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHO WOULD COME FROM THE ACCOUNTANCY PROFESSION, AND ΤΟ RENAME THE NEW CONSTITUENCY "FINANCE AND ACCOUNTANCY" CONSTITUENCY.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE NEARLY 4,000 PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS AND 12,000 ACCOUNTANCY STUDENTS REGISTERED WITH THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS. THEY WERE ENGAGED IN PUBLIC PRACTICE, AS WELL AS IN THE FINANCIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION SECTORS.

AND

ACCOUNTANTS WERE SERVING A WIDE SPECTRUM OF THE COMMUNITY HAD MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

"AS HONG KONG IS A MAJOR FINANCIAL CENTRE, PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OUGHT TO HAVE THEIR OWN REPRESENTATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THROUGH THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM, HE SAID.

1.

TURNING TO OTHER ASPECTS OF THE WHITE PAPER, MR POON WELCOMED THE RETENTION OF THE THREE-TIER SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

THE

HE SAID THE SUGGESTED RATIONALISATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THREE TIERS' STRUCTURE AND EFFECTIVENESS HAD BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND WAS REASONABLE AT THIS STAGE OF HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND

THE CLARIFICATION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES GUIDELINES TO THE ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE SUGGESTIONS OF DISTRICT BOARDS WERE TIMELY AND WOULD GREATLY ASSIST THE WORK OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

THE

WELL-BALANCED OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE WELCOMED

* * * * *

WHITE PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS WELL-BALANCED AND ITS OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE WELCOMED AND ENDORSED, THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER, MR YEUNG SAID THERE WERE FOUR OBJECTIVES.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO GRADUAL: ANY REFORMS THE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

THESE WERE THAT THE SYSTEM OF EVOLVE; ITS DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE PRUDENT AND SHOULD HAVE WIDE SUPPORT; AND THE CHANGES IN SHOULD PERMIT A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997.

/THE INTENTION