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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985
NEED FOR COMMUNITY INTERESTS STRESSED
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THE SPIRIT OF ELECTION RESTED ON THE POWER OF THE ELECTOR TO CHOOSE AND SUPERVISE, THE HON CHAN YING-LUN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR CHAN, SPEAKING ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL 1985, SAID SELECTION MEANT COMPETITION AND COMPETITION WOULD BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENT. THIS WAS THE KEY TO HONG KONG'S SUCCESS.
+AN ELECTED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER MUST BE ABLE TO STAND THE TEST OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, HE SAID.
+NATURALLY. ELECTED MEMBERS MUST REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE IR RESPECTIVE ELECTORAL COLLEGE OR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AS THE CASE MAY BE.
+BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY MUST BE ABLE TO LOOK AFTER THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.+
COMPETITION WOULD ACT AS A CHECKING MECHANISM, ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE THE CASE.
+TO PREVENT UNHEALTHLY COMPETITION AMONG MEMBERS, AND TO PUT THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE FOREFRONT OF THIER MINDS, THE ULTIMATE SAFEGUARD MUST REST WITH THE SUPERVISION OF THE ELECTORATE, + MR CHAN SAID.
HE SAID ONLY WHEN THE POWER OF THE ELECTORATE IN SELECTING AND MONITORING THE SYSTEM WAS SENSIBLY EXERCISED WOULD THE ELECTION BE MEANINGFUL.
AND WITH THIS, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD NOT DEPART FROM THE OBJECTIVE OF FOSTERING THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG.
+1 BELIEVE THAT THE ELECTORS COULD EXERCISE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THE POWERS OF MONITORING AND SELECTING OF LEGISLATORS UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BILL. THEREFORE, I HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR THE NEW LEGISLATURE, + HE SAID.
MR CHAN SAID THE BILL STARTED A NEW PAGE+ AND HE PARTICULARLY SUPPORTED ITS UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES,
ONE OF THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF DEVELOPING A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WAS TO HAVE A SYSTEM FIRMLY ROOTED IN HONG KONG AND MORE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE.
TO ACHIEVE