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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986
SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS VERY LIKELY TO COME TO A DECISION THIS MONTH AND THEREFORE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPRESS UPON IT IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS THE IMPLICATIONS OF ITS DECISION AND HOW IT WOULD BE VIEWED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE.
MRS FAN ALSO SAID SHE SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL TO REPATRIATE THOSE WHO COULD NOT SATISFY THE REFUGEE CRITERIA,
+ IT IS INDEFENSIBLE FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO RETURN THE ILLEGAL TRAVELLERS TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, ABOUT 50 PER DAY ACROSS THE CHINESE BORDER, ON THE ONE HAND AND ACCEPT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON THE OTHER HAND, KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT THEY ARE BOTH DRIVEN BY THE SAME INCENTIVE - DESIRE FOR A BETTER LIFE-STYLE, SHE SAID.
SHE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON PROGRESS MADE IN IMPLEMENTING THIS SUGGESTION.
+IF NO SOLUTION IS FORTHCOMING TO THE ROOT OF THIS PROBLEM, THEN THE EXISTING POLICY SHOULD BE REVIEWED WITH A VIEW TO CONTAINING THE PROBLEM WITH OUR OWN MEANS, SHE SAID.
PARTIAL DIRECT ELECTION ADVOCATED
*****
A SYSTEM OF PARTIAL DIRECT ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATURE WAS ADVOCATED BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING DURING THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF HAVING 12 DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS TO THE COUNCIL IN 1988 FROM FOUR MULTI-MEMBER REGIONAL CONSTITUENCIES THREE EACH FROM HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON EAST, KOWLOON WEST AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.
HE EXPLAINED THAT SUCH A MOVE WOULD GIVE THE SMALL MAN, THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL, THE MAN-IN-THE-STREET, THE OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL AND BELIEVE THAT HIS VIEWS WERE LISTED TO AND WOULD BE REFLECTED WITHIN THE COUNCIL.
+HE MUST BE CONVINCED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS HIS COUNCIL AND THAT HE CAN HAVE SOME SAY - EVEN THOUGH VERY LIMITED IN WHAT IS HAPPENING BY ELECTING HIS REPRESENTATIVE TO THIS COUNCIL TO SPEAK UP FOR HIM, + HE SAID.
/+A SYSTEM OF