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Mr President, the objectives of achieving open and transparent operations for the HKADC can be met fully by adopting suitable standing orders. In this regard, I am happy to inform this Council that the present HKADC has already decided to open its meetings to the public shortly and has already considered a set of draft standing orders covering this area. These were agreed by the HKADC as a positive and constructive response to Miss Loh's concern. These standing orders have since been issued and will be formally adopted by the HKADC at its next meeting on 11 May.
In the light of this, there is no valid reason for Miss Loh to continue to press for her amendments. Indeed, I am surprised that she should be insisting on moving these amendments, especially since as the current Vice Chairman of the HKADC, she is fully aware that the HKADC has twice voted to reject her proposal to make the holding of open meetings of the Council a legal requirement.
L
Mr President, I do not wish to reply in great detail to the points that Miss Loh has just made. We have discussed this issue exhaustively and come up with the solution that meets our needs, those of the arts community and of the HKADC. The time has come to heal any wounds caused by the recent disagreements, to go forward and to do the important work required of the HKADC.
The only small point I would like to make is that our Standing Orders which has been adopted by the HKADC are as it happens not based on Miss Loh's proposal but on the tried and true methods adopted by, among others, the Legislative Council itself.
Mr President, with these remarks, and subject to the Committee Stage amendments proposed by the Administration, I commend the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Bill to Members for approval. But I oppose to the Hon Miss Christine Loh's proposed amendments.
End/Wednesday, May 3, 1995
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