Raymond Tam urges end to bill's delay

May 07, 2012

Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Raymond Tam urges lawmakers responsible for obstructing the passage of the Legislative Council (Amendment) Bill 2012 not to delay for too long.
 
Mr Tam told the media today that the public believes LegCo should not allow filibustering to affect its daily operation.
 
He said the 1,000-plus amendments lawmakers put forward to be debated did not help to perfect the legislation, and he hoped the lawmakers responsible would withdraw them.
 
Mr Tam reiterated that attending Legislative Council meetings is the prerogative and responsibility of each and every LegCo member, and the Government would do its best to encourage members to attend meetings.
 
“At the end of the day, it is the public interest that matters. It is not party politics that matters,” he said.
 
Mr Tam said according to the Rules of Procedure, the meeting on Wednesday must deal with the questions which were left when LegCo failed to achieve a quorum last Wednesday.
 
He said the Government will handle a proposed Government restructuring plan at full speed. The LegCo House Committee will decide at its meeting on Friday whether to set up a subcommittee.
 
The Government expects the subcommittee's discussions on the restructuring to finish by the end of May. The proposal would be tabled to the Establishment Subcommittee and Finance Committee in early June, Mr Tam said.