TNAG-1366-FCO40-1812-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 45

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Sir, before I close, I would like to reflect briefly

on the experience of the Unofficials who had to face constant

dilemma during the deliberation of this bill. The Ad Hoc Group

especially the Convener were under tremendous mental pressure

from all sides in the past two weeks. We even had to dispel an

unfounded theory that this Bill was being used as a political

weapon against the Convener. A sheer fantasy I might add but

nevertheless a damaging one. In short, battle tactics of the

jumping on to the Bandwagoners appeared to have worked well

into pushing all of us into a corner. If we succumb to demands

which are not back by adequate reasonings were and to delay the

third reading until the next session, we would run a real risk

of selling H.K. down the path of inefficient administration

with pressure groups happily blaring their so called wishes of

the people in every single issue of the day. If we did not

concede to the demand that the third reading be deferred, we

stand to be accused by vocal and well organised campaigns of

discredit. For sure we will be accused of acting irresponsibly

against the proclaimed wishes of the people.

It was with a sombre realisation of this difficult

dilemma that we decided we have to cast away all our emotional

hang ups like pride, fears and prejudices. We had to look at

all new representations cooly and rationally. We were not so

much influenced by the numbers of organisation making

representations as we were influenced by the contents of their

representations. We did not measure the strength of any

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