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―
44.
A basic question therefore is whether the
aims set out in paragraph 39 can be achieved by further
development of the existing systems of representation,
including those for providing
Legislative Council; or whether
methods of representation are needed.
members of the
other additional
Timing of Introduction of Direct Elections
45.
If it
transpires that there is, in
The
principle, support for the introduction of a system of
direct elections to the Legislative Council, either in
addition or as an alternative to one or more of the
other present systems for selecting members, the next
issue to be considered is whether a number of directly
elected members should be introduced in 1988.
advocates of direct elections argue that, if a stable
and efficient system of representative government is to
be firmly in place by 1997, then the process of
introducing directly elected members into the
Legislative Council should begin with a small
proportion of seats being filled
being filled in this way in 1988.
On the other hand, the present systems for the election
members to the Council have been in place for
less than two years and it is too early, in the opinion
of
of some, to evaluate
far less to
them definitively, far
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