WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
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HE ALSO SAID THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN DIRECT ELECTIONS WAS HIGHER THAN THAT IN INDIRECT ELECTIONS AND EY COMPARISON, THE RESULTS WERE HARDER TO BE MANIPULATED.
AS REGARDS THE PACE OF REFORMS, MR LEE SAID A GRADUAL APPROACH MUST BE ADOPTED, ONE THAT WAS CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE AND NOT AT A STANDSTILL.
+ THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AFTER 1997 WILL CERTAINLY BE MODELLED ON THE BASIS OF THE ONE AS SHAPED DURING THE NEXT 12 YEARS AND IT IS NOW ALREADY A RACE AGAINST TIME AS 12 YEARS WILL NOT BE TOO FAR OFF.
+ THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL HAVE TO MAKE GOOD PREPARATIONS DURING THE 12-YEAR TRANSITIONAL PERIOD TO ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT ON THE BASIS OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS,+ HE SAID.
AMONG THE THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, MR LEE SAID, DISTRICT BOARDS WERE CLOSEST TO THE PUBLIC AND THE ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD ACCORDINGLY BE GIVEN THE FULLEST PLAY.
+THE AUTHORITIES SHOULD CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING THEM WITH REASONABLE RESOURCES, SUCH AS OFFICE ACCOMMODATION, SO THAT THEY COULD SERVE THE PUBLIC IN A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY.
+ALSO, FOR THOSE MEMBERS WHO ARE REQUIRED BY THE IR PROFESSION (SUCH AS TEACHERS) TO PERFORM THE IR DUTIES IN DESIGNATED PLACES WITHIN PRESCRIBED PERIODS OF TIME, THE AUTHOR ITIES SHOULD CONSIDER APPROPRIATE ARRANGEMENTS TO THE EFFECT THAT THEY COULD TAKE A TEMPORARY LEAVE OF ABSENCE UNDER APPROPRIATE CIRCUMSTANCES TO ATTEND DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS OR TO PERFORM PUBLIC DUTIES, HE SUGGESTED.
MR LEE NEXT SAID THAT BOTH THE EXISTING AND THE PROPOSED SYSTEMS TO ENQUIRE INTO COMPLAINTS ALLEGING MALADMINISTRATION BY GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE MAINTAINED SO AS TO PUT INTO EFFECT THE IDEA OF UPHOLDING JUSTICE.
+ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE PRESS COULD STILL MAINTAIN ITS INDEPENDENT STATUS AND MAKE OBJECTIVE REPORTS.
* IN THIS CONNECTION, THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS OR ANY MEASURES FOR COMPULSORY DISCLOSURE OF THE SOURCES OF INFORMATION,
+THESE ARE THE ESSENTIAL POINTS WHICH NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE BROADCASTING REVIEW, + HE ADDED.
HE REITERATED THAT AVENUES OF REDRESS AND NEWSPAPER REPORTS COULD BOTH SERVE THE PURPOSE OF MONITOR ING GOVERNMENT ACTION AS WELL AS UPHOLDING SOCIAL JUSTICE.
NOTING THAT EDUCATION WAS ACCORDED THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IN PUBLIC EXPENDITURE THIS YEAR, MR LEE SAID HE HOPED SUCH A PERCENTAGE COULD BE MAINTAINED OR EVEN IMPROVED ON IN THE YEARS TO COME.
/HE POINTED