XN000022-1992-07-16 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1992

THE ADMINISTRATION DOES, HOWEVER, RECOGNISE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM WHICH COULD BE IMPROVED. MISS EMILY LAU HAS REFERRED SPECIFICALLY TO A POSSIBLE DOUBLE OR MULTIPLE VOTES CONTROLLED BY THE SAME INDIVIDUAL. RULES PREVENT THIS COULD INDEED BE FURTHER IMPROVED. OTHER EXAMPLES INCLUDE THE ELECTORAL FRANCHISE OF SOME OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, THE ELIGIBILITY OF VOTING, AND THE QUALIFICATION OF AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVES. BUT IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE WITHOUT HAVING TO RADICALLY OVERHAUL THE SYSTEM. THESE ISSUES HAVE ALL BEEN LOOKED INTO BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE WHICH HAS MADE

MADE A NUMBER OF USEFUL RECOMMENDATIONS IN ITS REPORT. WE WILL STUDY WITH GREAT CARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS THE VIEWS PUT FORTH BY MEMBERS THIS AFTERNOON, WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1995. OUR AIM WOULD BE TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM AND TO PROVIDE FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC.

MR FUNG HAS ALSO SUGGESTED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT BODY TO LOOK INTO ASPECTS OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND THE RATIONALE FOR THIS SUGGESTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME, GIVEN THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SELECT COMMITTEE HAS JUST PRODUCED A REPORT WHICH, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, ADDRESSES EXACTLY THESE VERY SAME ISSUES.

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT, AS EXPLAINED IN MY SPEECH IN THE EARLY HOURS OF TODAY, THE ADMINISTRATION WILL NEED TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE SELECT COMMITTEE'S REPORT, AS WELL AS THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC. FOR THIS REASON, THE THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS WILL ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON EITHER MR ARCULLI'S MOTION OR THE AMENDMENT MOTION PROPOSED BY MR FUNG. THANK YOU.

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