THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1984
+THE GENERAL REACTION OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE PROPOSALS HAS BEEN FAVOURABLE,+ HE SAID.
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+THERE IS AGREEMENT WITH THE GRADUAL AND PROGRESSIVE APPROACH WHICH WE PROPOSED. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE VIEW THAT, WHILE CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE TO OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. THEY SHOULD NOT BE INTRODUCED TOO HASTILY OR IN. A MANNER WHICH MIGHT ENDANGER HONG KONG'S STABILITY AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME, HE SAID.
ON ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THE TIME FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS MAY COME.
+BUT THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE SUPPORT IN PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER IN HONG KONG FOR ANY MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION IN 1985.
+SOME HAVE SUGGESTED, HOWEVER, THAT WE SHOULD MOVE TO DIRECT ELECTIONS BY 1988. OTHERS HAVE TAKEN THE VIEW THAT, HAVING INTRODUCED DIRECT ELECTIONS ON A VERY BROADLY BASED FRANCHISE AT THE DISTRICT AND REGIONAL LEVELS ONLY WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS, IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO DO THE SAME AT CENTRAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL UNTIL WE HAVE ALL GAINED MORE EXPERIENCE AT THE LOWER LEVELS.+
THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSED A REVIEW SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN 1989, SAID SIR EDWARD, AFTER THE SECOND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN 1988.
+MANY PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE REVIEW SHOULD TAKE PLACE EARLIER, PERHAPS IN 1987. THIS IS A SUGGESTION WHICH WE WILL CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY, HE SAID.
THE POSSIBILITY OF A SINGLE LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE HAD BEEN PUT FORWARD, HE SAID, AND ANOTHER SUGGESTION HAD BEEN PUT FORWARD THAT ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE A REASONABLE GEOGRAPHICAL BALANCE OF MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE COLLEGE.
THESE IDEAS WOULD BE GIVEN CAREFUL CONSIDERATION IN FORMULATING THE WHITE PAPER WHICH WILL FOLLOW ON FROM THE GREEN PAPER.
ON FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, SIR EDWARD SAID: +SOME HAVE CRITICISED THE IDEA AS BEING DIVISIVE AND UNWORKABLE. OTHERS, WHILE SUPPORTING THE IDEA IN PRINCIPLE, HAVE ASKED FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE PUT INTO PRACTICE. CERTAINLY THE PROPOSAL IS AN UNUSUAL ONE. IT HAS FEW PRECEDENTS ELSEWHERE. BUT IT IS DESIGNED TO MEET A NEED WHICH IS WIDELY RECOGNISED IN HONG KONG, NAMELY, TO ENSURE THAT THOSE MAJOR SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH HAVE COMMON SOCIAL, ECONOMIC OR OCCUPATIONAL INTERESTS AND WHICH ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF OUR SOCIETY, ARE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
/+AT THIS