****************************
Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Stephen Lam, at a media session tonight (June 21):
Chief Secretary for Administration: As far as the current administration is concerned, we will continue to try our very best to roll forward the proposal for re-organising the Government Secretariat, so as to facilitate the implementation of policies by the fourth term HKSAR Government. We do believe that there is still sufficient support within the Legislative Council for this re-organisation proposal to be taken forward.
Earlier today, we had proposed to deal with the re-organisation proposal first within the Legislative Council. This is really to bypass an effort on the part of certain Legislative Councillors to filibuster the proceedings of the Council. We believe that such filibustering is not in the best interest of dealing with the legislative programme and that there certain priority items which Hong Kong people, Hong Kong community place importance on that are being delayed because of this filibustering exercise.
We had hoped that if the Legislative Council could first deal with the re-organisation proposal, then the filibustering can cede an important item, such as the Privacy Law and also such as the Mandatory Provident Fund legislation could be taken forward. Even though we had not been able to secure the Legislative Council¡¦s support for priority to be given to the re-organisation proposal, in terms of debate and passage, it is still important for us to continue to roll forward the legislative programme including the re-organisation proposal.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, June 21, 2012
Issued at HKT 21:48
NNNN
