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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1976.
THE HONG KONG STYLE OF GOVERNMENT
* *
THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR. DENIS ERAY, SAID TODAY HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE PRESENT STYLE OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG HAD BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN COMBINING BASIC CIVIL LIBERTIES WITH AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAD BROUGHT A GOOD DEAL OF CONTENTMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IT SERVED.
HOWEVER, HE NOTED, UNLIKE MOST THINGS MADE IN HONG KONG HE DID NOT SUPPOSE THAT THIS STYLE OF GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE A VERY GOOD EXPORT.
MR. BRAY, WHO WAS SPEAKING AT THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS' DINNER, SAID THAT THE ABSENCE OF ELECTIONEER ING HAD LED SOME PEOPLE TO SUPPOSE THAT HONG KONG SOCIETY WAS APOLITICAL.
+FAR FROM IT. THERE IS AS MUCH ARGUMENT OVER POLICY AND PRIORITIES HERE AS ANYWHERE ELSE, HE POINTED OUT.
+ IT IS ARTICULATE AND IT IS WIDESPREAD AND IT INFLUENCES POLICY IN A SUBSTANTIAL WAY.
+EVERY IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT PAPER ON POLICY IS REQUIRED TO CONTAIN AN ANALYSIS OF EXPECTED PUBLIC REACTION TO PREVENT THE BUREAUCRATS FROM FORGETTING THAT IS IS THE PUBLIC THEY SERVE.*
MR. BRAY STRESSED THAT HONG KONG WAS RATHER AN UNUSUAL PLACE IN MANY WAYS, ONE OF WHICH WAS THAT THE POPULATION COULD NOT ELECT ITS OWN PRIME MINISTER.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, NO GOVERNMENT COULD STAY IN POWER WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED AND IT WAS JUST AS NECESSARY FOR THE GOVERNMENT HERE TO STRIVE TO RETAIN THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED AS IT WAS ANYWHERE ELSE.
+YET WE MUST DO THIS WITHOUT AN ELECTED PRIME MINISTER NOT BECAUSE WE ARE INHERENTLY OPPOSED TO ELECTIONS BUT BECAUSE THE OPTION IS NOT OPEN, HE STATED.
+ IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG ME HAVE FOUND IT IS NECESSARY TO BE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE TO TRENDS OF PUBLIC OPINION.
+THIS INVOLVES FINDING OUT WHAT IT IS, HY, HERE IT IS CRITICAL, THIS IS SO.
+ IT ALSO INVOLVES REMOVING MISUNDERSTANDINGS WHEN THESE ARE FOUND AND EXPLAINING OUR THINKING,
+HE THINK THIS TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION IS MOST IMPORTANT AND HAVE DEVOTED CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES TC IT.+
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