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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1987
DIRECT ELECTIONS ALREADY EXISTED
FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE
DISTRICT BOARDS, THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.
SHE DID NOT THINK THAT ANY OF THESE EXAMPLES OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, OR ANY OF THE INDIRECT ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HAD LED TO THE KIND OF IRRESPONSIBLE VOTE-CATCHING THAT OPPONENTS OF DIRECT ELECTIONS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SEEMED TO FEAR.
ELECTIONS LONG TERM SECTORS
"I DO NOT THINK THAT THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE FROM PAST THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO SEE THEIR OWN INTERESTS CLEARLY AND THAT ONLY THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL CAN BE TRUSTED TO DO THAT", SHE SAID.
SHE ADDED THAT TO KEEP POWER IN THE HANDS OF CERTAIN SECTORS OF SOCIETY WAS IN ITSELF DANGEROUS TO STABILITY.
"IT IS FAR BETTER TO DIFFUSE POWER 30 THAT EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO INFLUENCE HIS OWN FUTURE AND NO ONE SECTOR CAN DETERMINE THE FATE OF ALL", SHE SAID.
BUT SHE POINTED OUT THAT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED BY ALL WAS "HOW THE NECESSARY DIFFUSION OF POWER IS TO BE ACHIEVED GRADUALLY AND WITHOUT A LURCH TOWARDS INSTABILITY, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED ON THE BASIS OF SUSPECT ARGUMENTS.
"IN THE LONG RUN, IT IS THE GOOD SENSE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE THAT IS OUR SAFEGUARD AGAINST ALL THE IMPERFECTIONS OF ANY ELECTIVE SYSTEM."
MISS DUNN WARNED THAT WHILST INDIRECT ELECTION COULD HAVE THEIR DISADVANTAGES, DIRECT ELECTION WAS BY NO MEANS PANACEA.
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"IT DOES NOT GUARANTEE BETTER GOVERNMENT OR EVEN GOOD GOVERNMENT. ABOVE ALL, IT IS NOT A WEAPON TO BE USED TO CONFRONT CHINA NOR A SHIELD TO PROTECT HONG KONG FROM INTERFERENCE, SHE SAID.
SHE SAID HONG KONG'S FUTURE LAY IN COOPERATING WITH CHINA, BUILDING MUTUAL TRUST, UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT; AND BEING SENSITIVE TO EACH OTHER'S CONCERNS..
SHE SAID THAT TO HER, THE CASE FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS WAS PURELY AND SIMPLY THAT, OF ALL OTHERS, IT WAS THE FAIREST WAY OF SELECTING PEOPLE TO EXERCISE PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITIES.
SHE VIEWED THE INTRODUCTION OF A FEW DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS A "LOGICAL NEXT STEP" IN HONG KONG'S MOVE TOWARDS A MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
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"AS I SEE IT, THE REAL ARGUMENT IS NOT 'WHEN' SHE SAID.
SO MUCH 'WHETHER' AS
/ON THE