the entire military and most of the civilian establishment of the
garrison. Many of them are genuinely indignant. A matter of principle
involving large sum of money is at stake. The balance of financial
obligations between HKG and UKG has been sharply tilted. The 65 to
35 percent split has become more like 80% to 20%.
5.
The 1988 DCA was approved by Finance Committee when there were
no directly elected members in the Legislature. The political scene is
totally different now. There is no Government party in the Legislature.
The Administration has only 3 votes in a Council of 60 and no votes at
all in Finance Committee. Finance Committee has made the
Administration withdraw its proposals on a number of occasions.
One of these concerned British Military Hospital fees. There have also
been repeated calls to reduce HKG's DCA contribution in order to meet
repatriation and maintenance of Vietnamese migrants. On certain
issues, the entire legislature behaves as a solid opposition. DCA is
potentially one of such issues. If Members ever focused on the DCA,
many would see it as the last of the unequal treaties. To attack DCA
could make popular politics. A fabulous vote clincher. My advice to you