THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1985
26
FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE ABOLISHED
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CARL TONG
THE IDEA OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE ABOLISHED ALTOGETHER AND REPLACED BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF ELECTORAL. COLLEGE SEATS FROM THE PRESENT 12 TO 22, THE HON CARL TONG SUGGESTED TODAY.
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ON THE WHITE PAPER, MR TONG SAID THESE SEATS SHOULD INCLUDE 18 DISTRICT BOARD SEATS, TWO URBAN COUNCIL SEATS AND TWO REGIONAL COUNCIL SEATS.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SEATS BY APPOINTMENT SHOULD REMAIN AT 22.
+THIS ARRANGEMENT LEAVES TWO SEATS WHICH COULD BE
NOMINATED BY APPROPRIATE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.
+ SHARE MY HONOURABLE FRIEND ALLEN LEE'S BELIEF
THAT TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997. WHATEVER CHANGES WE MAKE IN THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT MUST HAVE THE TACIT APPROVAL OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA,+ HE SAID.
+ THE PROPOSAL TO GIVE THE PRC THE RIGHT TO NOMINATE TWO LEGCO SEATS CAN ONLY HELP THE SMOOTH TRANSITION.
+1 MAY WELL BE CRITICISED FOR SUGGESTING THIS - MY ARGUMENT WILL BE THAT WE MUST FACE UP TO REALITY AND ACCEPT THAT WE, WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PRC AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, MUST WORK TOGETHER TO THIS END.
+ IN ANY CASE, THE RESULT OF THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSAL IS THAT AT LEAST TWO LEGCO SEATS WILL GO TO ORGANISATIONS WHICH ARE EITHER CONTROLLED BY THE PRC OR HAVE STRONG TIES WITH IT AS A RESULT OF THE IR INCLUSION IN THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES E.G. THE CHINESE GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND POSSIBLY ONE OF THE TWO LABOUR SEATS, HE SAID.
MR TONG SAID WE MUST BE REALISTIC, WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THE COMMON GOAL OF MAINTAINING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY AND NOT BE HAMPERED BY ADVERSARIAL POLITICS IN THE HEADY STRIDE FOR DEMOCRACY.
THE STATUS QUO COULD ONLY BE ASSURED WITH OUR CONTINUAL ECONOMIC SUCCESS. WE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THIS, HE STRESSED.
MR TONG SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CONCEPT OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WAS PRACTICABLE,
+ I CANNOT SEE HOW THE GOVERNMENT CAN JUSTIFIABLY PREFER SOME FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES TO OTHERS WITHOUT CRITICISM.
+FOR ONE, WHY SHOULD ACCOUNTANTS BE EXCLUDED AND DOCTORS INCLUDED?+ HE ASKED.
/HE SAID