14
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1984
+THEREFORE, I CONSIDER IT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE TO CARRY OUT A COMPREHENSIVE CONSULTATION IN RESPECT TO EVERY DETAIL OF THE ANNEXES, TO SUM UP ALL THE VIEWS, AND TO MAKE AN HONEST REPORT. BEFORE IT CAN JUSTIFY ITS WORK BEFORE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,+ MR CHAN SAID,
HE THOUGHT IF IT TURNED OUT THAT THE PUBLIC HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT CERTAIN DETAILS OF THE ANNEXES, IT WOULD BE SENSIBLE FOR THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE APPROPRIATE AMENDMENTS ACCORDING TO THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
THE HON MRS PAULINE NG SAID THAT THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WAS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR EXISTING CHANNELS FOR REFLECTING PUBLIC OPINION.
SHE EMPHASISED THAT THE WORK OF THE OFF ICE MUST BE SEEN TO BE OPEN AND UNBIASED IN ORDER TO CONVINCE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, ESPECIALLY THE SILENT MAJORITY, AND PARLIAMENT THAT IT TRULY REPRESENTED THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
SHE SUGGESTED THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO COLLECT THE OPINIONS OF PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT LEVELS, IN PARTICULAR THE WISHES OF THE SILENT MAJORITY,
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY EVERY CITIZEN SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND THEY SHOULD BE TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL, SHE ADDED.
THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN SAID THE PRUDENT ARRANGEMENTS MADE TO GET TO KNOW THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE WERE BENEFICIAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE IN SO FAR AS THE LINK AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA WERE CONCERNED, AND DESERVED THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC.
THE SUCCESS OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, HE SAID, DEPENDED ON THE SUPPORT OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE AND TO OBTAIN THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC WE MUST FIRST HAVE GOOD PUBLICITY.
HE SUGGESTED THAT BEFORE THE OFFICE STARTED COLLECTING VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT, THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA, GIVE A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE TERMS OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, ANNOUNCE THE METHODS AND CRITERIA TO BE ADOPTED IN TESTING AND ASSESSING VIEWS RECEIVED AND EXPLAIN THE WAYS AND PROCEDURES OF COLLECTING OPINIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.
/ON THE