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SCA's press briefing on constitutional development
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The following is the transcript of a stand-up briefing by the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, after meeting the representatives of the Hong Kong Democratic Development Network at the Central Government Offices today (August 22) (English portion):
Reporter: What was the meeting about? And, is it going to have two papers issued early next year concerning District Council reforms?
SCA: We had a very productive and constructive meeting with members of the academia and members of the Hong Kong Democratic Development Network. We warmly welcome the advisory paper which they put to the Constitutional Development Task Force today. They focus very much on the grooming of political talents and opening up of positions within the Government to enable a
broadening of political participation in Hong Kong community.
We have introduced to the academics that we have plans to issue in the autumn the fifth report of the Constitutional Development Task Force to set out the Government recommended way forward on how the Chief Executive election should be conducted in 2007 and how the Legislative Council should be formed in 2008.
Aside from that, the Chief Executive has already undertaken during his election campaign that the Government would consider the possibility, for example, of creating positions such as Assistants to Directors of Bureaux in order for us to absorb political talents and to broaden the base of political participation. These positions, if they are to be created in future, would
be open to people with political party backgrounds, people from the business and professional sectors or academics. Whoever have an intention to serve the Hong Kong community and to take part in the political process in Hong Kong, we would consider.
So in overall terms, during the autumn, we would issue the fifth report of the Constitutional Development Task Force and at a later date we would issue a consultative document to review the roles and the composition of the District Councils. We would also be issuing a separate paper on how we could open up Government positions to groom political talents.
Reporter: Will the Policy Address likely to include the assist secretary positions for political parties and so.. ?
SCA: We have indicated previously that in the context of Policy Address, we will be giving a further explanation as to our overall thinking on how the positions within the Government could be opened up to enable more political talents to be groomed. It is, of course, for the Chief Executive to determine the overall content of the Policy Address. But that explanation I
believe would be forthcoming in October. But, in the meantime, our main priority is to deal with the review of electoral systems for returning the Chief Executive in 2007 and forming the Legislative Council in 2008.
Reporter: Is there a timetable for the reform of the District Councils and also the Secretary Assistants positions?
SCA: We believe we have to deal with things in sequence. First of all, we will deal with the fifth report of the Constitutional Development Task Force. This report will be issued some time in the autumn. Our hope is that by the end of this year we can secure consensus on the way forward for amending Annexes I and II of the Basic Law with regard to the returning of the
Chief Executive in 2007 and the forming of the Legislative Council in 2008. Thereafter, we will deal with the review of the District Councils and at a later date we will also have to deal with the review of opening up of Government positions to groom political talents. But, in the meantime, the date which we have been focusing on is the publication of the fifth report of
the Constitutional Development Task Force. The other two reports will be dealt with at a later date.
Reporter: Will the two reports be dealt with next year?
SCA: We have not made our final decision yet. But, I have indicated previously that we will commence the review of the District Councils around the end of this year. As for the review of opening up of Government positions to groom political talents, this is a matter which we will deal with at a later date. But, for the time being, we have not yet fixed a date for issuing
this consultation document, and we are still conducting research and considering the matter within the Government.
Ends/Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Issued at HKT 21:25
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