XN000022-1994-02-23 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1994-

SHOULD

MANY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN ON THE VARIOUS

I STAGE. AMENDMENTS

WILL WHICH

BE MOVED AT THE COMMITTEE THEREFORE LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SET OUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S POSITION ON THESE AMENDMENTS.

WHICH WILL MR ANDREW WONG WILL BE MOVING A SET OF AMENDMENTS

THESE AMENDMENTS HAVE ALREADY CLARIFY CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.

BILLS COMMITTEE. BEEN THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED AND AGREED BY THE ADMINISTRATION WILL SUPPORT THEM.

THE

ΤΟ BR THE ADMINISTRATION IS, HOWEVER, AGAINST THE AMENDMENTS

I WILL EXPLAIN MOVED BY MR ALLEN LEE, MR ERIC LI AND MR MARTIN LEE. THE REASONS IN TURN.

FIRST,

THE COUNCIL

SINGLE "SINGLE-SEAT

VOTE" VOTING METHOD FOR THIS LEGISLATIVE

ELECTIONS. GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY PROPOSED VOTING SYSTEM IS SIMPLE AND WELL UNDERSTOOD. IT IS ALSO FAIR IS AND OPEN, PROVIDING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL CANDIDATES. ALREADY BEING USED IN OUR MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ELECTIONS AND MOST OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS ELECTIONS. BY ADOPTING THIS PROPOSAL, WE WILL HAVE

ACHIEVED

CONSISTENCY

CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS

INSTITUTIONS.

IN

IN

THE VOTING METHOD FOR ALL THREE

TIERS

OF

GEOGRAPHICAL OUR REPRESENTATIVE

THE

COMMUNITY,

AS

HAS

WIDESPREAD SUPPORT IN

THIS

COUNCIL

THE PROPOSAL CONSISTENTLY REFLECTED BY INDEPENDENT OPINION SURVEYS. INDEED, COUNCIL ITSELF GAVE FIRM SUPPORT TO THIS PROPOSAL DURING THE DEBATE IN

REPORT ON A SELECT COMMITTEE'S

LEGISLATIVE JULY 1992 ON ELECTIONS. AT A SUBSEQUENT DEBATE IN NOVEMBER 1992, THIS COUNCIL ALSO VOTED IN

OF THE SUPPORT

GOVERNMENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL INCLUDING THE VOTING METHOD FOR LEGCO ELECTIONS.

PROPOSALS,

TAKING

NOT, IN

MR ALLEN LEE AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT

ONE FURTHER OUT THE LEGCO VOTING METHOD FROM THE BILL WOULD GIVE

DURING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TALKS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE TO RESUME. EARLIER DEBATE ON MRS ELSIE TU'S MOTION TO DEFER CONSIDERATION OF THE ON BILL, I HAVE ALREADY SET OUT AT LENGTH THE ADMINISTRATION'S VIEW WHY DEFERRAL OF THE BILL, EITHER IN WHOLE OR IN PART, WILL

US

I DO REALITY, BUY

NOT PROPOSE MUCH MORE TIME FOR TALKS. REHEARSE THOSE ARGUMENTS; SUFFICE TO SAY THAT HOWEVER MUCH THE BRITISH OF AN SIDE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO PROPOSE LEGISLATION ON THE BASIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE SIDE, PRACTICAL TIME-TABLE CONSTRAINTS MEAN

PROCESS DESPITE LEGISLATIVE NEED THAT WE

TO GET ON WITH THE ABSENCE OF SUCH AN AGREEMENT.

ΤΟ

THE

OUT THE

MEMBERS LEGCO

FOR THESE REASONS, MR PRESIDENT, THE THREE EX-OFFICIO WILL

MR ALLEN LEE'S AMENDMENT TO TAKE VOTE AGAINST VOTING METHOD FROM THE BILL.

COUNCILS AND

APPOINTED

ENABLE THE

SECONDLY, APPOINTED MEMBERSHIP IN THE MUNICIPAL THE DISTRICT BOARDS. THE PROPOSALS IN THE BILL TO ABOLISH

TO AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERSHIP ARE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN WORK OF THE TWO COUNCILS WHICH PROVIDE IMPORTANT SERVICES FACILITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THE 18 DISTRICT BOARDS WHICH GOVERNMENT ON THE WHOLE RANGE OF DISTRICT ISSUES AFFECTING OUR LIFE. THESE CHANGES ARE FULLY IN LINE WITH A MOTION PASSED

ΤΟ STRENGTHEN COUNCIL IN

1992 URGING THE ADMINISTRATION JULY REPRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THESE BODIES.

THE

AND

ADVISE DAILY BY THIS THE

/THE ABOLITION