XN000022-1994-02-23 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1994

SCA'S SPEECHES ON ELECTORAL PROVISIONS BILL

*

SPEECH BY SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR NICHOLAS NG, ON THE HON MRS ELSIE TU'S AMENDMENT TO ELECTORAL PROVISIONS

(MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS)

(NO. 2) BILL 1993

* *

MR PRESIDENT,

THE ADMINISTRATION IS FIRMLY AGAINST THE MOTION. AS RIGHTLY POINTED

COUNCIL OUT BY A NUMBER OF MEMBERS, THE BILL NOW BEFORE THIS CONTAINS PROVISIONS WHICH ARE TIME CRITICAL. THERE IS AN URGENT FOR THEIR EARLY ENACTMENT.

NEED

WOULD THESE

FOR

WE THE SERIES OF THREE ELECTIONS IN 1994 AND 1995, NEED TO

IF GET THE VARIOUS PREPARATIONS IMMEDIATELY UNDERWAY ELECTIONS ARE TO BE HELD IN A TIMELY AND ORDERLY MANNER. BUT BEFORE FIRST SUCH PREPARATIONS CAN START, THE NECESSARY LEGAL FRAMEWORK MUST BE PUT IN PLACE. IF THE BILL'S ENACTMENT WERE DELAYED FOR WHATEVER REASONS, THERE WOULD BE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.

THE

DIFFICULTIES

ON

AND

THE

то THE LAW.

ᏞᎬᎢ ME CITE TWO EXAMPLES. FIRST, THE UNCERTAINTY CREATED

ARRANGEMENTS ELECTORAL

WOULD CAUSE MAJOR DISRUPTIONS TO THE LAUNCHING OF THE STATUTORY VOTER REGISTRATION EXERCISE DUE TO START IN JUST ABOUT A MONTH'S TIME. SECONDLY, BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT GOVERNOR BY

YEAR, AS

REQUIRED

A

END OF APRIL THIS THE

BY RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE DEMARCATION OF MUNICIPAL COUNCILS CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES.

TO COMPILE CONSEQUENCE, IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE PROPER VOTER REGISTER IN TIME FOR THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS TO THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.

SIMPLY PUT, DEFERRAL OF THE BILL WILL BE AT THE

OF EXPENSE

TIMELY

THIS IS AND ORDERLY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. CERTAINLY NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE. MRS TU AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT DEFERRING THE BILL WOULD PROVIDE ONE FURTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR TALKS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE TO RESUME. I SHOULD LIKE TO STRESS THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR PREFERRED APPROACH TO LEGISLATE FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS ON THE BASIS OF AN AGREEMENT

160 WITH CHINA. WE HAVE NEGOTIATED IN GOOD FAITH FOR OVER HOURS IN 17 ROUNDS. BUT, ALAS, AN AGREEMENT HAS PROVED OUT OF REACH.

THE

MRS TL.

BECAUSE

THAT THE TWO SIDES WERE UNABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT ON EVEN SIMPLER ISSUES WERE NOT BECAUSE OF THE REASONS DESCRIBED BY THE FACT IS DISCUSSIONS ON THE FIRST STAGE ISSUES FLOUNDERED FIRST THE CHINESE SIDE COULD NOT AGREE TO INCLUDE THE SINGLE

"SINGLE SEAT,

INSISTED COMPLICATED LEGCO

THEY VOTE" VOTING METHOD FOR LEGCO IN THE PACKAGE. THAT IT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED LATER WITH OTHER MORE ISSUES.

/THE SECOND