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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985
+IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THE PROVISIONS IN THE BILL CAN EFFECT AN INTRODUCTION OF WORTHY AND CAPABLE PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS SEPTEMBER FOR THE ENACTMENT OF PROPER LAWS FOR HONG KONG, HE SAID,
HOWEVER, MR SO SUGGESTED THAT BEFORE THE ENACTMENT OF MORE SPECIFIC ELECTORAL PROVISIONS, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD HOLD ACTIVE CONSULTATIONS WITH VARIOUS BODIES OF ELECTORS IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT A FAIRER AND MORE EFFECTIVE SEARCH FOR TALENTS.
HE SAID HE WAS MOST PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE 380-0DD REGISTERED TRADE UNIONS IN HONG KONG MIGHT NOW ELECT TWO REPRESENTATIVES TO JOIN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
IN THE PAST, MR SO SAID TRADE UNIONS COULD ONLY FIGHT FOR CERTAIN LABOUR LAWS THROUGH LEGITIMATE CONSULTATIONS OR ATTAIN THE IR GOALS BY TAKING PART IN INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ACTIVITIES.
+THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS BEEN IN WANT OF REPRESENTATION FROM THE WORKING CLASS FOR A LONG TIME, MR SO SAID.
FROM NOW ON, HE SAID, THE WORKERS WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT THROUGH THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND THUS FURTHER FULFILLED THE LOFTY AIMS OF THEIR TRADE UNIONS.
EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, MR SO STRESSED THAT WHILE THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WAS ESSENTIAL TO HONG KONG, IT WAS OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE THAT IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.
+THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY THAT HONG KONG NOW ENJOYS WILL WEAKEN UNLESS PROTECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES ARE TAKEN, HE SAID.
+' PROSPERITY AND STABILITY' IS NOT MERELY A SLOGAN AND IT WILL NOT COME NATURALLY TO THE LAZY PEOPLE. ITS ATTAINMENT REQUIRES CAPABILITY, DETERMINATION, DEDICATION AS WELL AS SELF- RESPECT AND CONFIDENCE,+ MR SO SAID.
FINALLY, MR SO SAID HE WAS GLAD THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN SOUND ADVICE AND CHANGED THE CHINESE TRANSLATION FOR THE TERM +SUBSTANTIAL CONNEXION+ IN THE EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM OF THE BILL.
HE SAID THE AMENDED TERM WAS MORE APPROPRIATE.
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