HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
377
Isn't this an apt description of the restoration of evil laws by the Preliminary Working Committee of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chief Executive-designate? Isn't it very akin to the Preparatory Committee's statement covered in the past two days that they were considering the abolition of the Powers and Privileges Ordinance', a most effective tool with which the Legislative Council monitors the government? It is nearly 150 years since the Communist Manifesto was announced in 1848. There are invariably some who consider themselves and other people as commodities that can be freely transacted in exchange for self-interests. If you give him some benefits, for instance, seats, he would cling to you wholeheartedly and forget all promises, and he would think nothing of buying and selling other people and betraying the monitoring and accountable system gradually developed by society and the foundation of a democratic set-up. In return for power, Chief Executive-designate TUNG Chee-hwa has put forward the idea of increasing the appointed seats in the Municipal Councils and District Boards, but he is unable to furnish his arguments for such an idea. He said someone had expressed the hope to have more representatives of various sectors in those two tiers of the council establishment, and he uttered a few vague words. I hope that he will explain this clearly to the entire local population.
According to the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will have a high degree of autonomy except in defence and foreign affairs. The introduction of additional appointed seats in response to the suggestion of the Chinese side violates Article 2 of the Basic Law, that is, the above-mentioned article on 'a high degree of autonomy'.
The Urban Council Ordinance (Cap.101, Section 6) states that the Urban Council shall comprise 32 elected councillors and nine councillors representing District Boards. Please note that there is no mention in the Urban Council Ordinance of such a creature as an 'appointed councillor'. The other 40 Councillors and I were chosen by election in accordance with the Urban Council Ordinance and the Electoral Provisions Ordinance for a four-year term. My term of office will be expired in March 1999. The powers bestowed by the Urban Council Ordinance should be exercised and must not be snatched away by those who wreak havoc on the legal system.
Article 97 of Chapter 4 of the Basic Law, which is on district organisations, provides that 'Districts organisations which are not local organs of political power may be established in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and shall be consulted by the government of the Region on district administration and other affairs, or shall be responsible for providing services in such fields as culture, recreation, and environmental sanitation.'
As the Basic Law stipulates that district organisations like the Urban Council and District Boards are 'non-governmental' in nature, all Urban Councillors and the Urban Council Ordinance should, in principle and in
Page 335 of 498
Page 335 of 498
Page 335Page 336
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
377
Isn't this an apt description of the restoration of evil laws by the Preliminary Working Committee of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chief Executive-designate? Isn't it very akin to the Preparatory Committee's statement covered in the past two days that they were considering the abolition of the Powers and Privileges Ordinance', a most effective tool with which the Legislative Council monitors the government? It is nearly 150 years since the Communist Manifesto was announced in 1848. There are invariably some who consider themselves and other people as commodities that can be freely transacted in exchange for self-interests. If you give him some benefits, for instance, seats, he would cling to you wholeheartedly and forget all promises, and he would think nothing of buying and selling other people and betraying the monitoring and accountable system gradually developed by society and the foundation of a democratic set-up. In return for power, Chief Executive-designate TUNG Chee-hwa has put forward the idea of increasing the appointed seats in the Municipal Councils and District Boards, but he is unable to furnish his arguments for such an idea. He said someone had expressed the hope to have more representatives of various sectors in those two tiers of the council establishment, and he uttered a few vague words. I hope that he will explain this clearly to the entire local population.
According to the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will have a high degree of autonomy except in defence and foreign affairs. The introduction of additional appointed seats in response to the suggestion of the Chinese side violates Article 2 of the Basic Law, that is, the above-mentioned article on 'a high degree of autonomy'.
The Urban Council Ordinance (Cap. 101, Section 6) states that the Urban Council shall comprise 32 elected councillors and nine councillors representing District Boards. Please note that there is no mention in the Urban Council Ordinance of such a creature as an 'appointed councillor'. The other 40 Councillors and I were chosen by election in accordance with the Urban Council Ordinance and the Electoral Provisions Ordinance for a four-year term. My term of office will be expired in March 1999. The powers bestowed by the Urban Council Ordinance should be exercised and must not be snatched away by those who wreak havoc on the legal system.
Article 97 of Chapter 4 of the Basic Law, which is on district organisations, provides that 'Districts organisations which are not local organs of political power may be established in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and shall be consulted by the government of the Region on district administration and other affairs, or shall be responsible for providing services in such fields as culture, recreation, and environmental sanitation.'
As the Basic Law stipulates that district organisations like the Urban Council and District Boards are 'non-governmental' in nature, all Urban Councillors and the Urban Council Ordinance should, in principle and in
Page 335 of 498
Page 335 of 498
Page 335Page 336
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