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In response to concerns raised by Legislative Council and District Council members on the funding arrangements of the Central & Western District Council (C&WDC) for the promotion of Basic Law, the Home Affairs Department made the following statement today (April 3):
We note that the C&WDC has handled the designated funding for the promotion of Basic Law at its district in accordance with the C&WDC Standing Orders and the relevant funding guidelines. The C&WDC has decided to invite proposals from district organisations and then decide on the best use of the funding.
The Working Group on Civic Education set up by the C&WDC convened two meetings on March 6 and 11, 2014 respectively to consider three funding applications received. The Working Group decided to recommend two of these applications to the Culture, Leisure & Social Affairs Committee (CLSAC) and the Finance Committee (FC) of the C&WDC for final endorsement. As there were no scheduled meetings of these committees within a short period of time, and having regard to the time constraint for the applicants to organise activities, the Chairmen of the CLSAC and the FC decided to circulate the funding applications for approval in accordance with the Standing Orders.
Subsequently, in response to a CLSAC member's request for holding a meeting to consider the funding applications, the CLSAC Chairman convened a special meeting on March 27. As in the past, the CLSAC processed the funding applications in accordance with the Standing Orders, including requiring members to declare any affiliation to the applicants and the co-organisers. The CLSAC Chairman also allowed discussions before making a ruling about questions raised by members on Standing Orders, and explained the basis of his decisions. As there were interruptions to the meeting proceedings, the CLSAC could not complete vetting all the applications in the end. Noting that it was becoming even more pressing for the applicants concerned to organise activities in good time, the Chairmen of the CLSAC and the FC had eventually decided to circulate the applications in accordance with the Standing Orders so as to complete the approval procedure.
We consider that the C&WDC has handled the funding for the promotion of Basic Law at the district level and the associated declarations of interests in accordance with the Standing Orders and the relevant funding guidelines. In accordance with the established mechanism, the C&WDC has endorsed the relevant funding applications. The Government respects the decisions of the C&WDC.
Ends/Thursday, April 3, 2014
Issued at HKT 21:20
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