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052577 MDHIAN 6972
HAS COME THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR: THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT MORE
NO DOUBT THAT THERE IS A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. THERE CAN BE
THAT IF THIS GOVERNMENT WIDESPREAD CONVICTION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IS TO REMAIN EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIVE, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE IN PACE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SOCIETY. THE GENERATIONS OF WELL EDUCATED, ARTICULATE AND FORWARD-LOOKING YOUNG PEOPLE NOW GROWING UP IN HONG KONG ARE EXPECTING, AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXPECT, MORE AND MORE OF SOCIETY, MORE AND MORE OF THEIR GOVERNMENT, AND RIGHTLY SO.
THE GROWING ASPIRATIONS OF THE YOUNG ARE NOT SOMETHING UNIQUE TO HONG KONG. DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD SHOW VERY CLEARLY THAT THE SPREAD OF FREE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, THE EMPHASIS ON TERTIARY EDUCATION AND THE BROADENING OF EXPERIENCE WHICH COMES FROM TRAVEL BRING IN THEIR WAKE A GROWING POLITICAL THIS MUST BE AWARENESS, A SENSE OF INVOLVEMENT AND COMMITMENT.
A HEALTHY AND WELCOME DEVELOPMENT. BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT OUR SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MUST CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN WAYS WHICH ENCOURAGE INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION BY WIDER SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY, SO THAT MORE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING A SOCIETY OF WHICH THEY CAN BE TRULY PROUD.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE FEARFUL THAT THS GROWTH OF MORE DEMOCRATIC
MORE SYSTEMS WILL BRING DISSENSION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND, IMPORTANTLY, DISCONTINUITY IN THE POLICIES WHICH AVE PROVED SO SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF
ON DISSENTING VOICES. RATHER WE MUST BUILD INSTITUTIONS WHICH THE ONE HAND, ARE STRONG ENOUGH IN THEMSELVES TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERING OPINIONS WITH TOLERANCE AND, ON THE OTHER, ALLOW FOR THE MAJORITY TO ENDORSE POLICIES WHICH, ALTHOUGH UNPOPULAR WITH SOME, ARE SEEN TO BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
EXPERIENCE IN THIS COUNCIL WOULD SUGGEST THAT,
ALTHOUGH THERE
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THE MAIN ARE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS THRUST OF THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES DOES COMMAND THE SUPPORT OF A WIDE MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL AND INDEED OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT FUTURE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, HOWEVER THEY ARE ELECTED, WILL WISH TO PUT OUR CONTINUING SUCCESS AT RISK BY EXPERIMENTING WITH VASTLY DIFFERENT POLICIES FROM THOSE WHICH HAVE SO CLEARLY BENEFITTED THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST DECADE.
IT IS CLEAR THEN THAT A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD REGARD THEMSELVES AS ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC
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