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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council will hold a meeting this Wednesday (June 3) at 11am in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building. During the meeting, Members will debate a motion on comprehensive review of the accountability system.
The motion, to be proposed by Hon Wong Yuk-man, says: "That the Government of the Special Administrative Region has made countless blunders in the implementation of policies, since Tung Chee-hwa introduced the so-called accountability system in 2002, accountability of Directors of Bureau is only empty talk; subsequently, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen adds a wretched sequel to the accountability system by appointing the so-called Under Secretaries and Political Assistants at his own discretion; this provides convenience for authoritarians to hand-pick their deputies, which results in a total collapse of the accountability system and is detrimental to the well-being of the people; this Council urges the Government to conduct a comprehensive review of the accountability system so as to implement fundamental reforms to restore its ability to govern; such reforms include:
(a) establishing a political system which is truly accountable to the people, and expeditiously implementing dual universal suffrage for the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive elections;
(b) formulating a political parties law to promote the development of party politics, so as to induce political parties to be truly accountable to their constituents;
(c) establishing an impeachment mechanism for replacing those officials under the accountability system who are derelict of their duties; and
(d) clearly defining the roles, functions and powers among the Chief Executive, officials under the accountability system and civil servants."
Hon Miriam Lau will move an amendment to Hon Wong Yuk-man's motion.
Members will debate another motion on promoting research and development. The motion, to be moved by Hon Dr Hon Pan Pey-chyou, says: "That the Task Force on Economic Challenges has identified six economic areas where Hong Kong enjoys clear advantages as the targets of focal development to boost Hong Kong's economic growth and provide job opportunities, and in order to successfully promote the development of these economic areas, Hong Kong must lay a solid foundation for research and development ('R&D'); in this connection, this Council urges the Government to:
(a) set up committees to make recommendations on policies and various complementary measures for promoting R&D, for implementation by bureaux;
(b) consolidate and coordinate the existing relevant policies as well as the structures and resources of various related public organisations, so as to more effectively boost Hong Kong's technological R&D business;
(c) through education and publicity, foster an atmosphere that emphasises technological research and innovation;
(d) take the lead in allocating more funding to enhance the capability of technological research, and stipulate the interim and long-term targets that government funding in R&D shall represent a certain proportion of local gross domestic product;
(e) establish negotiation platforms in conjunction with Guangdong Province and other regions in the Mainland to achieve complementarity of edge, maximal application of R&D results and effective protection of intellectual property;
(f) formulate policies for nurturing local talents in R&D and systematically bring in overseas professionals under the principle of giving priority to local talents;
(g) introduce tax concessions and other incentives to encourage private organisations to invest in R&D work in Hong Kong; and
(h) make optimal use of the land of the existing industrial estates and science park, etc, and expeditiously develop the land in the boundary districts between Hong Kong and Shenzhen for the purposes of technological R&D and talent training, so as to facilitate the establishment of industry clusters."
Dr Hon Samson Tam, Hon Fred Li, Hon Andrew Leung, Hon Leung Kwok-hung and Hon Hon Li Fung-ying will move separate amendments to Dr Hon Pan Pey-chyou's motion.
On Members' motions, Hon James To will move a resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending the Consular Relations (Additional Privileges and Immunities) (India) Order, Administration of Estates by Consular Officers Ordinance (Variation of Schedule: India) Order, Consular Conventions (Application of Section 3) (India) Order, Consular Relations (Additional Privileges and Immunities) (Italy) Order, Administration of Estates by Consular Officers Ordinance (Variation of Schedule: New Zealand) Order, Consular Conventions (Application of Section 3) (New Zealand) Order, Consular Relations (Additional Privileges and Immunities) (Russia) Order, Administration of Estates by Consular Officers Ordinance (Variation of Schedule: Russia) Order, and Consular Conventions (Application of Section 3) (Russia) Order, which were laid on the table of the Legislative Council on May 6, 2009, to the meeting of June 24, 2009.
Hon Paul Tse will also move a resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending the Race Discrimination (Formal Investigations) Rules, and the Race Discrimination (Investigation and Conciliation) Rules, which were laid on the table of the Legislative Council on May 13, 2009, to the meeting of July 8, 2009.
Meanwhile, Hon Paul Tse will move another resolution under the Race Discrimination Ordinance to extend the period for amending the Code of Practice on Employment under the Race Discrimination Ordinance, which was laid on the table of the Legislative Council on May 13, 2009, to the meeting of July 8, 2009.
On Bills, the Occupational Deafness (Compensation) (Amendment) Bill 2009 and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Control of Release) Bill will be introduced into the Council for First and Second Readings. Debate on the Bills will be adjourned.
During the meeting, Members will also ask the Administration 20 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the Legislative Council InfoFax Service (Tel: 2869 9568) or the Legislative Council web site (http://www.legco.gov.hk).
Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Legislative Council Chamber. They may reserve seats by calling 2869 9399 during office hours. Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Members of the public can also listen to the meeting via the audio webcast system on the Legislative Council homepage.
Ends/Monday, June 1, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:06
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