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MDHIAN 0966
BELIEVES THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE 1997.
4. NO SUCH CLEAR PICTURE EMERGED ON THE QUESTION WHETHER DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988 OR LATER. THE VIEWS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WERE DIVIDED. SUBMISSIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS SHOWED A BALANCE AGAINST DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988, ALTHOUGH THE FACT THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THESE WERE IN THE FORM OF PRE-PRINTED IDENTICAL LETTERS SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. SUBMISSIONS FROM GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS FOLLOWED A SIMILAR PATTERN. SIGNATURE CAMPAIGNS ADVOCATING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 ATTRACTED MORE THAN 200,000 SIGNATURES. THE PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS SHOWED THAT, AMONG RESPONDENTS WHO EXPRESSED A VIEW, THE BALANCE WAS AGAINST HOLDING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 IN THE TWO SURVEYS COMMISSIONED BY THE SURVEY OFFICE, BUT GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF HOLDING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 IN PRIVATELY ORGANISED SURVEYS.
5. IN SUM, THE PUBLIC RESPONSE INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SUPPORT THE PRINCIPLE OF HAVING A PROPORTION OF DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, BUT THAT THERE ARE DIVIDED VIEWS AS TO WHEN THIS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED.
6. THE GREEN PAPER ALSO RAISED FOR DISCUSSION WHETHER DIRECT ELECTIONS, IF INTRODUCED, SHOULD BE CONDUCTED THROUGH A SINGLE CONSTITUENCY OR SEVERAL CONSTITUENCIES, AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE ADDITIONAL TO, OR REPLACE, THE EXISTING INDIRECT ELECTIONS FROM THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. ON THE FIRST POINT, THE VIEWS RECORDED IN THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT FROM ALL SOURCES SHOWED A SLIGHT MAJORITY IN FAVOUR OF HAVING SEVERAL CONSTITUENCIES. ON THE SECOND POINT, THE OVERALL BALANCE OF OPINION SUPPORTED HOLDING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN ADDITION TO INDIRECT ELECTIONS FROM THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. IN BOTH CASES, HOWEVER, ONLY A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAS EXPRESSED A VIEW.
7. BESIDES TAKING ACCOUNT OF ALL THE VIEWS EXPRESSED, THE GOVERNMENT HAS HAD REGARD TO OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. ON THE QUESTION OF THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, IT HAS TAKEN ACCOUNT OF
(A) THE NEED FOR THE SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT TO EVOLVE PROGRESSIVELY TO MEET THE WISHES AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY:
(B) THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT SUCH EVOLUTION IS CONDUCIVE TO A
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