WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986
23
THUMBS DOWN TO RADICAL POLITICAL REFORMS
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IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO INTRODUCE ANY RADICAL POLITICAL REFORMS IN THE 1987 REVIEW IN VIEW OF THE SHORT OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF HONG KONG'S POLITICAL STRUCTURE IN ITS PRESENT FORMAT, THE HON HO SAI-CHU SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS, MR HO SAID HONG KONG SHOULD NOT AT THIS STAGE OF ITS DEVELOPMENT HAVE ANY MAJOR POLITICAL OVERHAUL OF ITS SYSTEM BUT SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON THE NUMBERS OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENT SEATS IN THE COUNCIL AND ON REFINING THE METHOD OF ELECTING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ELECTORAL COLLEGES.
HE SUGGESTED THAT THE SYSTEM SHOULD REMAIN VERY MUCH THE SAME AT PRESENT, BUT WITH CERTAIN FUNDAMENTAL EXCEPTIONS.
+ I CANNOT HELP BUT POINT OUT THAT ALTHOUGH HONG KONG HAS NO REAL DEMOCRACY, WE CERTAINLY HAVE FREEDOM WITHIN THE LAW AND THE SYSTEM WORKS,+MR HO SAID.
IN THE PURSUIT OF LOCALISATION, MR HO FELT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD NEITHER DISCRIMINATE AGAINST SERVING OVERSEAS OFFICERS WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HAD BEEN SUBSTANTIAL NOR PUT THE FUTURE AT RISK BY PUSHING THE MATTER TOO FAR.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, THERE WAS A PLACE FOR EXPATRIATE OFFICERS NOT ONLY DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD BUT ALSO AFTER 1997, HE SAID.
HE SAID THAT HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO WELCOME ANYONE WHO WAS PREPARED TO ACCEPT ITS SYSTEM AND TO WORK WITHIN IT AND TO OPEN THE DOOR TO ALL WHO HAD MADE THE TERRITORY THEIR HOME.
TURNING TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, MR HO SAID HE NOTED WITH PLEASURE THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO INVEST HEAVILY IN CAPITAL WORKS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER, HE DREW THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF THIS INDUSTRY AS A RESULT OF THE POLICY OF ALLOWING OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS TO ENGAGE IN WORK REQUIRING TECHNIQUES READILY AVAILABLE LOCALLY.
+ IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT CANNOT BE GOOD FOR THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG TO ALLOW A SITUATION TO EVOLVE IN WHICH THE LOCAL CONTRACTING INDUSTRY DISAPPEARS,+ MR HO SAID.
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