WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1977
UNOFFICIALS SHOULD BE
MORE VOCAL TO REFLECT PUBLIC OPINION
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IN HONG KONG WHERE THERE IS NO ELECTED GOVERNMENT FOR A POPULATION WITH DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS AND ATTITUDES, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE MORE VOCAL IF THEY ARE TO REFLECT THE VIEWS AND FEELINGS OF THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG SAID TODAY.
THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER SAID A GOOD CASE IN POINT WAS THE QUESTIONS ASKED ON GODBER AT THE LAST SITTING OF THE COUNCIL AND HE SYMPATHISED WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OF TODAY WHO COULD NO LONGER MAKE AND ANNOUNCE DECISIONS WITHOUT GIVING FULL EXPLANATION TO THE PUBLIC.
DR. CHUNG PRODUCED RESEARCH INTO THE INCREASING CONTRIBUTION OF THE UNOFFICIALS TOWARDS THE COUNCIL'S PROCEEDINGS IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS WHICH SHOWED THAT DURING THE PERIOD OF 1957 - 1964 THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ASKED BY EACH OF THEM IN A YEAR WAS ONLY 1.3 AND THAT THERE WERE PRACTICALLY NO SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF SPEECHES EACH UNOFFICIAL MADE DURING AN ANNUAL SESSION WAS ABOUT 2.
UNDER THE GOVERNORSHIP OF SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, THE UNOFFICIALS HAD BEEN MUCH MORE ACTIVE IN THE COUNCIL'S PROCEEDINGS AND, ON AVERAGE, EACH HAD ASKED ABOUT 11 ORIGINAL AND 10 SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTED TO EIGHT DEBATES A YEAR, HE SAID.
THE INCREASING VOLUME, COMPLEXITY AND SOPHISTICATION OF THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL ON THE ONE HAND AND THE RISING EXPECTATIONS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION ON ITS PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE OTHER IMPOSED A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON THE MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY THE UNOFFICIALS, DR. CHUNG SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, UNLIKE THOSE IN COUNTRIES WHICH HAD CENSORSHIP AND POOR COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, WERE AWARE OF RISING STANDARDS OF LIVING AND SOCIAL PROGRESS ELSEWHERE.
THEIR DESIRE FOR BETTER LIVING, MORE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND LESS UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH WAS FURTHER STIMULATED BY THE SOCIALLY-MINDED, SOME OF WHOM UNFORTUNATELY MIGHT NOT HAVE A BALANCED OUTLOOK OR ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HONG KONG SITUATION.
THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSEQUENTLY UNDER CONSTANT PRESSURE TO INCREASE, AT TIMES OVER-AMBITIOUSLY, THE PACE OF SOCIAL PROGRESS WHICH WAS HOWEVER IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH, HE SAID.
/DR. CHUNG