DURING THE WEEK BEFORE THE BILL WAS DEBATED MARTIN LEE AND EMILY LAU (WHO HAVE RECENTLY FORMED A CLOSE LIAISON'') EMBARKED ON AN INTENSIVE LOBBYING CAMPAIGN AMONGST THE MEMBERS OF LEGCO AND THE MEDIA.
THE PRESSURE TACTICS EMPLOYED BY MARTIN LEE, WHICH INCLUDED THREATENING LEGCO MEMBERS WITH PUBLIC DENOUNCIATION OF THEY DID NOT VOTE AGAINST THE BILL, SO INCENSED MEMBERS THAT SOME OF THEM CHANGED THEIR MINDS ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE DEBATE SHOULD BE ADJOURNED. THERE WAS A GENERAL FEELING AMONG LEGCO MEMBERS THAT THE TIME HAD COME TO MAKE A STAND AGAINST THE POLITICAL TACTICS OF THE MINORITY LED BY MARTIN LEE AND THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT BACKED AWAY ON THIS OCCASION, ITS CREDIBILITY AND THE MEMBERS WHO HAD SUPPORTED THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE SEVERELY DAMAGED.
THERE WAS A STRONG FEELING AMONGST THE MAJORITY OF LEGCO MEMBERS THAT IF THE DEBATE WAS ADJOUNRED THE PRESSURE TACTICS BY THE LOBBYISTS WOULD BE INTENSIFIED TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT MARCHES, RALLIES AND THE LIKE MIGHT RESULT.
MEMBERS CONSIDERED THAT THEY HAD HAD SUFFICIENT DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES WITHIN THE AD-HOC GROUP AND AT THEIR IN-HOUSE MEETING (WHERE A VOTE HAD BEEN TAKEN) AND THAT THE ABSENCE OF UNANIMITY SHOULD NOT PREVENT THE MATTER GOING FORWARD FOR DEBATE. THEY ALSO TOOK THE VIEW THAT INTERESTED PARTIES HAD SUFFICIENT TIME 1.E. 3 MONTHS, TO MAKE THEIR REPRESENTATIONS AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE DEFLECTED BY LAST MINUTE CRITICISM INSPIRED BY A SELF- INTERESTED MINORITY.
CCN PARA 2 LINE 2 WORD BEFORE DAYS ...TEN...
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