TNAG-1724-FCO40-2437-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 93

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any Members to support the

to support the removal of the

removal of the exofficio link. The

decision to support this Bill made during the Legislative Council in-house meeting on 29 January 1988 was clearly based on that understanding. The question of the exofficio link, or any form of link, will have to be addressed by further legislative

proposals, which can only be formulated in the light of the results of discussion on the White Paper. At this juncture, it might be of interest to note that there is a school of thought

which advocates for no link at all between the Urban Council and

the urban District Boards The point is there are various possibilities on the relationship between the Urban Council and the urban District Boards, and this

this Council will no doubt have the

opportunity to debate at length the pros

pros and cons. There is insufficient valid reason to block the passage of a Bill aiming to liberalige simply due to the Administration's intention which may or may not gain the support of this Council.

rejected

If at the end of the day, this Council rejects the Administration's proposal,

proposal, and the

the ex-officio link is retained, then the reservations and concerns of those who opposed the Bill now evaporates. On the other hand, even if this Council eventually supports the Administration's proposal, it is clearly desirable to have this Bill enacted so that there will be a more flexible cross-membership arrangement between the Urban Council

the and urban District Boards. I believe the reservations and

л concerns

Council members

our most

deserve

e

expressed by Urban careful consideration, as does the views of the chairman of the urban District Boards and their members. The lack of time for Urban Councillors to plan for their candidacy in the District lr Board is noted with regret, and the Administration should explain

publicly the reason for

apparent lateness of the their submit, with respect,

the greatest

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that

announcement. Having said this, critics of this Bill is reading much more into it than it actually contains, and thereby taking issue with the wrong issue at an inappropriate time.

Sir, I support the Bill.