XN000022-1992-07-01 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1992

"HIS

ROLE AS A STEPPING STONE IN THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN," HE SAID.

THANKING ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE WORK THEY HAD DONE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNOR URGED THEM TO KEEP CONSTANTLY IN MIND THE INTERESTS AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

"YOURS IS AN IMPORTANT ROLE, NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE,

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'ALTHOUGH NOT HERE TO SEE IT I SHALL READ AND INTENSE AND SUPPORTIVE, INTEREST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO."

HE SAID.

LEARN WITH

SCA ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE. WHEN WINDING UP THE MOTION DEBATE ON A REVIEW ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY 1 EVENING:

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,

THERE HAS BEEN MUCH TALK ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE, BUT WHAT DO WE REALLY MEAN BY THIS? HONG KONG'S CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNIQUE. WE DO NOT HAVE AN ELECTED GOVERNMENT, AND THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT PARTY AS YOU WILL FIND IN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE UK. THE ADMINISTRATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FORMULATING POLICIES; THE GOVERNOR, ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, DECIDES ON THE POLICIES WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION WILL THEN IMPLEMENT. THIS DOES NOT, HOWEVER, MEAN THAT THE EXECUTIVE CAN GO ABOUT ITS BUSINESS ACCORDING ΤΟ ITS OWN WHIMS. FAR AND IMPORTANT POWERS ENABLING IT TO HOLD THE EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS ACTIONS AND DECISIONS.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS FIVE MAIN FUNCTIONS. FIRST, IT CAN PASS, AMEND, OR REFUSE TO PASS. PROPOSED LEGISLATION INITIATED BY THE EXECUTIVE. SECONDLY, IT HAS THE POWER TO VOTE OR DENY FUNDS. THIRDLY, IT CAN DEBATE PUBLIC POLICIES AND OTHER MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN, AS WE ARE NOW DOING. FOURTHLY, MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL CAN QUESTION THE ADMINISTRATION ON ANY PUBLIC ISSUES, CAN CALL FOR THE ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES AND THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS, AND FINALLY, IT CAN CALL THE ADMINISTRATION TO ACCOUNT FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS. THESE ROLES ARE EXTENSIVE AND HAVE BEEN, OVER THE YEARS, PUT TO GOOD EFFECT BY THIS COUNCIL TO PROTECT AND To PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC. INDEED. THE BASIC LAM (CHAPTER IV. SECTION 3) ALSO PROVIDES FOR SIMILAR FUNCTIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1997.

/WHILST OUR