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2
It has been said that in Hong Kong, ordinary people
have no power to influence their own future. That is not really true today. Ordinary people may not have as much direct influence on Government decisions as they would, perhaps, in a full parliamentary system even though that is not entirely
beyond question.
Ours is, in fact, a very responsive government which devotes a great deal of time and resources to finding out what
people want.
We live in a free society with educated and highly intelligent populace and the Government here would certainly hear loudly and clearly from the people, if it did not carry
the people with it.
This fact was amply demonstrated by a survey which showed that the overwhelming majority supported "status quo" as
their first option, on the system of our Government.
It is the people who live here that made Hong Kong and
not the Government's decisions. Indeed, Hong Kong's success is
recognised to be due largely to the fact that the Government
interfered as little as possible.
As a result, this territory has become, to a large
extent, what Hong Kong people wanted it to be.
While the Unofficial Members of this Council never
claimed to represent the people of Hong Kong there should be no doubt that we come from the people, and we find it our duty
to act in what we think is their best interest - and in this process, ever conscious of being credible and accountable.