2066
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL - 5 July 1989
past 12 years, Hong Kong has been singly bearing the greater part of the expenditure on Vietnamese boat people. We should no longer resort to taxpayers' money for the maintenance cost of the boat people or part of the assistance offered to those being repatriated. Instead we should make use of billions of dollars budgeted for the expenditures on Vietnamese boat people to strengthen our infrastructural development at this time when Hong Kong is suffering from confidence crisis.
Sir, in the light of recent changes in Hong Kong, it is beyond reproach that the development of a democratic system in Hong Kong should be speeded up at a reasonable pace. However, democratization cannot be achieved overnight, it must be developed gradually. The way to accelerate the pace of democratization requires careful deliberation and in no way should we be influenced by the student movement to believe blindly that long-lasting democracy can be immediately attained by having half of the seats in the legislature be returned by direct election in 1991. Undeniably, whether Hong Kong can maintain freedom and democracy again depends to a large extent on its economic development, apart from public awareness of civic duties, a sound electoral system and a Basic Law which is favourable to Hong Kong. Sir, in order to pacify the discontent of the Hong Kong people against the British Nationality Act, the British Government vigorously "pushes" political democratization in Hong Kong as a substitute for the right of abode in the United Kingdom. Such a move may not bring about true democracy, stability or prosperity to Hong Kong. Nor will it necessarily be in the interests of the territory. The pace of democratic development in Hong Kong should be speeded up according to the practical circumstances within the territory rather than the decision imposed arbitrarily on us by the British Government aiming at diverting our attention.
Sir, with due respect, I have to say that the British Government has all along tried to shirk its responsibility on the issue of the Vietnamese boat people. In the meantime, it flatly refuses to restore to the Hong Kong people the right of abode in Britain as a form of insurance in future. What Britain has done is contrary to its duty as a sovereign state and gives rise to discontent and bitterness among the people of Hong Kong. In conclusion, I wish to point out that I find the Foreign Affairs Committee report utterly unsatisfactory and unacceptable. Before rounding up my speech, I would like to say that in the past month or so, the people of Hong Kong have, by various means, fully expressed to the world their dissatisfaction and disappointment towards the suppression of the student movement in China and the British Nationality Act. However, we cannot solve problems or re-establish confidence simply by taking to the streets and shouting slogans day and night. Hong Kong will have a better future and the majority of people who are determined to stay here will have a better place to live in only if Hong Kong is stable and its people make concerted efforts in enhancing economic development. Therefore, as people of Hong Kong, we have to keep calm and think thrice before taking any actions in future. We must not act on impulse and lose our power of reasoning, otherwise we are putting Hong Kong's future stability and prosperity at stake.
Sir, the visit of the Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey HOWE, has been brief. The tight schedule allowed Legislative Councillors little time to meet the Secretary