THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1984
2
MISS DUNN POINTED OUT THAT PEOPLE MUST BE CONVINCED THAT THEIR FUTURE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WOULD HAVE REAL INFLUENCE AND THIS COULD BEST BE ACHIEVED VIA EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITY.
+ IT IS SURELY SELF-EVIDENT THAT IF PEOPLE ARE NOT CONVINCED THAT THEIR VOTES MATTER, THEY WON'T BOTHER TO EXERCISE THEM, WHATEVER PERSUASIVE CAMPAIGNS ARE MOUNTED TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO SO, + SHE SAID.
THE HON PETER C. WONG SAID THAT ON THE WHOLE, THE VARIOUS DATES SUGGESTED IN THE GREEN PAPER CONSTITUTED A REASONABLE AND WORKABLE PROGRAMME.
ON DIRECT ELECTIONS, HE SAID THAT WHEN THE TIME WAS RIPE, THEY SHOULD BE ADOPTED.
ON THE CONCEPT OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, HE SAID THAT IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, MUCH THOUGHT AND CONSULTATION WOULD HAVE TO BE DEVOTED TO THE FORMULATION OF AN ACCEPTABLE FRAMEWORK WHICH WOULD FORM THE BASIS OF SUCH CONSTITUENCIES.
THE HON WONG LAM SAID THAT ALTHOUGH HE SUPPORTED THE GRADUAL PACE AND THE INDIRECT ELECTIONS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER, HE FOUND THAT THERE WERE INSUFFICIENT DETAILS.
HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT APART FROM THE CONVENTIONAL CONSULTATION CHANNELS, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO MAKE THE SILENT MAJORITY EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.
+FOR EXAMPLE, IT CAN ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION WITH EACH AREA COMMITTEE AND MUTUAL AID COMMITTEE. VARIOUS PUBLIC FORUMS CAN BE HELD. AT DISTRICT LEVEL TO ENSURE THE POOLING OF IDEAS, SO THAT THE FORTHCOMING WHITE PAPER CAN INCLUDE MORE VALUABLE OPINIONS OF THE PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.
THE HON CHARLES YEUNG SAID THAT IF DIRECT ELECTIONS WERE TO BE INTRODUCED, THE ULTIMATE SHAPE AND MACHINERY OF A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT MUST BE MAPPED UP AND A PROGRAMME FOR IMPLEMENTATION FORMULATED.
NOTING THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH TIME, HE SAID THAT A +MORE SENSIBLE APPROACH+ WOULD BE TO CONDUCT THE CONSIDERATION AND PLANNING OF THE DEMOCRATISATION PACKAGE AS A SEPARATE EXERCISE.
IN THE MEANTIME, HE ADDED, THE EVOLUTIONARY STEPS OF THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT SYSTEM, AS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER, COULD BE CARRIED OUT WITHOUT DELAY.
DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI WAS AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS NOW.
HE STRESSED THAT CONSCIOUS, SUSTAINED EFFORTS MUST BE MADE RIGHT NOW TO EDUCATE THE MASSES ON THE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY AND THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM, TO HEIGHTEN THEIR CIVIC CONSCIOUSNESS AND TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
/HE SUGGESTED