From the Gallery says it's time legislators were told the truth. Guys, we hate to break this to you, but there's a handover coming.
There can be only two explanations for the length of yesterday's debate on the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) (No 2) Bill 1997. (That's the bill further restricting tobacco advertising, for those of us who are not lawyers.) Either legislators did not know they were running out of time, or they were all taking part in a secret, all-party conspiracy to filibuster.
Maybe the whole thing was a plot to avoid a debate on the Dogs and Cats (Amendment) Bill 1966. (For non-lawyers: that's the maximum weight for unmuzzled dogs Bill.) But that can't be it. Even at the current rate of progress they should get on to vicious pets by Thursday.
Maybe the real target of the talkathon conspiracy is Leong Che-hung's valedictory motion to 'bid farewell to the British Government' and wish the Special Administrative Region continued stability and prosperity.
At this rate, they won't begin debating those fine and anodyne sentiments until next week.
That's what we meant. Maybe they haven't heard of the handover.
