N
MONDAY, JULY 1, 1985
+ IN NO CASE WILL ANY CANDIDATE HAVE TO FACE MORE THAN ABOUT 60 VOTERS IN THE DISTRICT BOARDS FOR EXAMPLE, ALTHOUGH EACH DB CONSTITUENCY REPRESENTS ROUGHLY HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, AND I THINK THE PERIOD IS REALLY QUITE SUFFICIENT.
+ IN CASE OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, I THINK CANDIDATES ARE LIKELY TO BE WELL-KNOWN TO THEIR MEMBERS, BECAUSE AFTER ALL, CANDIDATES MUST HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL CONNECTION WITH THE CONSTITUENCIES, AND THEREFORE, I DO NOT THINK YOU NEED ALL THAT MUCH TIME FOR THE ELECTIONEERING PROCESS, + HE SAID.
MORE DEBATE EXPECTED FROM NEW SYSTEM
****
THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO SAID TODAY THAT THE NEW SYSTEM OF APPOINTMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD DEMAND FAR MORE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY THE MAN IN THE STREET AND WAS LIKELY TO ENGENDER RATHER NOISIER DEBATE, AT LEAST DURING THE ELECTION PERIODS.
SPEAKING TO THE SWISS ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG AT LUNCH TODAY, MR TSAO POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG HAD WORKED UNTIL NOW WITHIN A CONSENSUS SYSTEM.
+ IT IS A QUIET SYSTEM - QUIET BOTH IN THE APPOINTMENT OF THE COMMUNITY'S REPRESENTATIVES BY THE GOVERNOR, AND IN THE NEAR-ABSENCE OF NOISY PUBLIC DEBATE OVER INDIVIDUAL ISSUES.
+APPOINTMENT TO LEGCO HAS DEPENDED ON INDIVIDUAL INTEREST, PERFORMANCE ON SOME OF THE MYRIAD CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES, AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO GET INVOLVED RATHER THAN ON HAVING A POLITICAL PLATFORM, OR BEING ABLE TO CONVINCE AN ELECTORATE OF ONE'S SUITABILITY.
+BY THE SAME TOKEN IT IS A SYSTEM WHICH HAS DEMANDED LITTLE CONSCIOUS EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, + HE SAID.
THERE MIGHT BE SEVERAL REASONS FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE'S LIMITED INTEREST IN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, BUT MR TSAO SAID, HE PREFERRED TO THINK THAT THE REAL TRUTH LAY MORE IN THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAD SEEN HONG KONG NOT ONLY SURVIVING ALL KINDS OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CRISES, BUT PROSPERING TO BOOT.
+AND SEEING THIS HAS STRENGTHENED THEIR FAITH IN THE ABILITY OF THE ADMINISTRATION, AND ITS PROCLAIMED POLICIES OF 'POSITIVE NON-INTERVENTION AND GOVERNMENT BY CONSENSUS',+ HE SAID.
ANH THAO