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Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, at a media session on the proposed establishment of the Innovation and Technology Bureau after attending the meeting of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council (LegCo) today (February 14):
Reporter: Mr So, how do you feel about today's process? What is the plan for moving on?
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: I am extremely disappointed. I really regret what happened today with the filibuster. It is really for the best interest of Hong Kong that we establish this Innovation and Technology Bureau. This is really the wish of the technology sector, as well as the business sector and the people of Hong Kong. You probably have seen that in the past few weeks, or even months, that various groups have come out saying that they are supportive of the establishment of the Innovation and Technology Bureau. Regrettably today this motion could not be passed in the legislature because of the filibuster which is really not constructive. I would hope that the LegCo members would co-operate next time, and I also hope that people in Hong Kong would voice out their displeasure of this kind of unconstructive behaviour in the legislature.
Reporter: (process for the setting up of the bureau)
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: Some of the process we have already gone through, like the Panel on Commerce and Industry as well as Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting, we would not need to go back to those panels again. But yes, we do have to go to LegCo in terms of moving the amendment for the original resolution as well as getting the approval in the Finance Committee.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, February 14, 2015
Issued at HKT 21:04
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