HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 14 July 1988
1/ Concuding speech by the president/Bold
1929
HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT: Hon. Members, I hope Members will allow me to delay them for a few moments before adjourning. Since I shall be in London next week, this is the last sitting of this Council at which I will preside before the end of the session and before the Council itself is dissolved on 25 August. I should like therefore to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the work of Members not only during this session but in the three years since October 1985.
These who are statistically minded will like, to note that each of the last three sessions has broken new records. In 1985–86 a record number of question were answered. In 1986-87 the Council held an unprecedented number of debates and sat for more hours than in any other session in its history. By the time that this session is completed, it is likely that we shall have established a record for the number of Bills passed into law.
But these statistics tell only a fraction of the real story. They do not reveal the very substantial amount of time and work Members have put into scrutinising legislation in ad hoc groups; in monitoring Government policies in OMELCO panels; and in the deliberations of the Finance Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.
Both the statistics and the underlying reality demonstrate the immense efforts Members of this Council make on behalf of the people of Hong Kong. As a result of these efforts, draft legislation passed down to the Council for enactment is often substantially improved. And furthermore, constructive monitoring of the Administration's policies can, and does, contribute to maintaining a high standard of performance by the Administration and to the development of policies which reflect the aspirations of this community.
At the end of the life of this Council, I believe that all Members should rightly feel proud of the way in which they have helped to make our system of government work to the benefit of our community.
In addition to thus thanking Members generally I should like to make a special mention of those Appointed Members who will soon have completed their terms. I shall not name them individually. All have served Hong Kong and this Council with distinction, energy and dedication. Some have served the community in this Council for up 12 years. The community has reason to be grateful to them for all that they have done. They have served us well. I thank them all most warmly.
There may also be some elected Members who, through the inevitable vagaries of the electoral system, will not return in October. Should there be any such Members, they will take with them the good wishes of us all and the thanks of the community for their contribution to this Council during the past three years.
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