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between the number of elected and that of appointed District Board members
reaches 4:1, it would be time for the introduction of direct election to a
number of seats in the Legislative Council. I think the rate of change in
the Legislative Council is not only directly proportional but also comple-
mentary to the readiness of the election into District Boards.
However, although I think that the proportion of appointed members
in the total membership of District Board should be reduced progressively,
there is a definite value in the existence of the appointment system which
must therefore not be abolished altogether. I believe the appointed District Board
members have definite ability and flair and have contributed much to the work of
District Boards. Similarly, the government should not abolish the appointment
of members to the Legislative Council either. Besides, I further hope that
while selecting able persons into District Boards, the Urban Council, Regional
Council, Legislative Council and Executive Council, the government should pay
attention to the selection of members from the grassroots level since their
average living conditions are relatively poor and many just cannot afford to
participate in electioneering for the sake of earning their living.
And so
enormous are the electioneering expenses that many common citizens who are
independent but not without shrewdness are simply scared away. The appoint-
ment of a few members from the grassroots level would shatter the kind of
money monopolized political participation so that the various seats would
not largely fall into the hands of the rich. Furthermore, there are many able
persons who are barred from participating in electioneering for personal
reasons, such as the discouragement of employers against the participation of
their employees, etc. In view of this, the appointment system can serve as
a complement.
Sir, I propose to have a comprehensive review of the representative
government in 1987. The issues to be reviewed include whether the number of
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