TNAG-1724-FCO40-2437-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 94

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

10 FEBRUARY 1988

Electoral Provisions (Amendment) Bill 1988

MR. CHEONG-LEEN :

Sir,

I wish to express strong reservations on this Bill.

Firstly, because of the hasty manner in which the Bill

has been brought before this Council, it has caused much controversy, misunderstanding, distress and embarrassment to Urban

Councillors.

Secondly, there were certain far-reaching implications related to the Bill which the Administration refused to disclose until the publication of the White Paper today, and which had a substantial effect on the future composition of the Urban Council. In so pre-empting the publication of the White Paper, the Government has been very unfair to the Urban Council.

Because of such questionable haste, in introducing the Bill, the Government was unable to fully consult the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department on the financial costs and the time required to provide the physical facilities and the supporting staff services to give effect to the changes in membership indicated in the White Paper.

These are serious

practical problems which will have to be taken on board by the

Government.

In introducing this Bill on 27 January 1988, the Chief

Secretary stated that :

Яс

the Bill stems from the Government's proposal that the existing practice, whereby Urban Councillors are ex# officio members of the urban District Boards, should cease in March 1989 when the tenure of the present Urban Council expires".