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pave their way for direct election in 1991. Furthermore, serving District Board members will gain importance in direct election on

3 district level because the voter know them and have confidence in them.

Candidates running in the 1991 direct election cannot afford not to seek the support of District Board members in that district. While the number to be elected is tek in 1991, I do not see why this number

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cannot be increased after 1991 to cover each of the nineteen districts and the population in each district, so as to allow a larger element of direct election in the Legislative Council.

Sir, I have been approached by lobbyists before this debate.

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their main concern was that public opinion ignored, that the Hong Kong Government had bowed to pressure from China, and that the Hong Kong Government considered by them as a liability to the people. Their conclusion is that I should reject the White Paper. I listened to their views and considered them most carefully.

Although I appreciate their feelings and their sincerity, I do not

share the same view. Contrary to their belief that the Government had used the AG McNair survey to cheat the public, I believe the

had Government and genuinely considered the opinions expressed by all sectors of the community and the emphasis placed on the AGB McNair by the lobbyist is misplaced. To take into account the views

who have expressed by officials in China, which has an exceptionally close relationship with Hong Kong/ is what one would expect a sensible and responsible Hong Kong Government to do. If common sense can be 26 labelled as bowing to pressure, are we expected to accept

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childishness as integrity? As Hong Kong Government being a

28 liability to the people, this does take quite a stretch of the

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imagination to visualise. If real life is similar to that of a court of law, then this line of argument may well be used by defence counsel, to introduce an element of doubt, the benefit of which always goes to

32 the defence. But real life hinges not on one point and certainly not

on mere political argument nor on eloquence. It depends on an overall assessment of the actual performance and achievements. better measure have we got than the social stability and economic prosperity of this community?

How can a Government which have

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