Legco president Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai said she would consult both the Bills Committee and the House Committee of the council tomorrow before deciding whether the government's proposed amendments could be introduced. However, the Democrats have indicated they will boycott the meeting to show their discontent. The official deadline for all committee-stage amendments is at least seven days before they are voted on, but the Legco president has discretion to waive this. Mrs Fan said the usual practice was to consult the Bills Committee first and then the House Committee. Only if a majority vote was obtained in both would she waive the requirement. She said her considerations were relegated to the rules of procedure and would not take into account political questions. Independent lawmaker Audrey Eu Yuet-mee said it was unfair for the chief executive to expect special treatment for amendments issued so late that legislators barely had time 'to consider them, let alone consult interested parties'. 'He is not complying with any of the rules, rules which are there for good reasons,' she said. 'They should not be compromised for the sake of expediency.'
