WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27,
1985
19
CALL TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTION IN 1988
***
THE MOST NATURAL AND LOGICAL SECOND STEP IN THE DIRECTION TOWARDS A MORE OPEN, RESPONSIBLE AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION IS TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTION IN 1988.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON MARTIN LEE DURING THE POLICY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
ANALYSING THE RATIONALE BEHIND DIRECT ELECTION, MR LEE SAID THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION HAD RESTORED CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND A FAIR NUMBER OF ABLE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WERE WILLING TO DO THEIR PART TO MAKE THE PRINCIPLE OF +ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS+ WORK.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, THERE WAS A DOUBT IN THEIR MINDS WHETHER CHINA WOULD INTERFERE IN THE INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG, WHETHER IN THE LAW-MAKING SPHERE OR EXECUTIVE DECISIONS OR THE JUDICIAL PROCESS.
MANY PEOPLE THEREFORE BEGAN TO LOOK FOR SOME SAFEGUARDS AND MANY BELIEVED THAT THE ONLY POSSIBLE SAFEGUARD WAS TO EVOLVE A SYSTEM WHICH WOULD PRODUCE A REALLY EFFECTIVE AND HIGHLY AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE SAR SO THAT IT COULD WITHSTAND SUCH ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE, MR LEE SAID.
+ AND WHAT CAN BE BETTER THAN A SYSTEM WHERE THOSE IN POWER ARE PUT THERE BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND CAN THEREFORE BE REMOVED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG?+ HE ASKED.
HE SAID THAT WAS WHY IT WAS THOUGHT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE IN THE JOINT DECLARATION THAT THE EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE WHICH SHOULD BE CONSTITUTED BY ELECTIONS.
3UT, MR LEE SAID, THESE PROVISIONS WOULD BE MEANINGLESS UNLESS A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WERE ELECTED DIRECTLY BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,
+AND THAT IS THE WHOLE RATIONALE BEHIND DIRECT ELECTION; AND THAT IS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, AND ARE, CLAMOURING FOR DIRECT ELECTION IN HONG KONG,+ MR LEE SAID.
+INDEED, IT IS OUR ONLY HOPE TO REALISE THE IDEAL OF ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS',+ HE ADDED.
+THIS HAS NOW BECOME THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES AND NO ONE CAN RESIST IT.
+TAKE THAT AWAY, AND THE BEAUTIFUL AND COURAGEOUS DREAM OF GRAND OLD MAN WILL TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE AND OUR FREEDOMS CAN NO LONGER BE SAFEGUARDED, HE SAID.
/HE POINTED
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