12
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1987
ADMINISTRATION THAT IT NOT CONTRAVENE
MR LAI SAID THE COUNCIL HAD BEEN ASSURED BY THE THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS WAS A GENUINE OPTION IN THE REVIEW AND
WOULD ELECTIONS HAD ALSO BEEN CONFIRMED THAT DIRECT THE JOINT DECLARATION.
POLITICAL
"IF THE PRINCIPLE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IS CORRECT AND REALITY IS RECEPTIVE TO THEM, IF THE SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE JUSTIFIES THEM, ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT PERMITS THEM, WHY CAN'T WE HAVE DIRECT IN 1988?" MR LAI QUESTIONED.
HE SAID:
INTRODUCTION "AFTERALL,
OF A
ELECTIONS
SMALL
PORTION OF TO A GRADUAL
DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE IS CONDUCIVE PROCESS OF POLITICAL CHANGES IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997.
DO NOT "MERE TECHNICAL DETAILS
CONSTITUTE ANY GROUNDS FOR OF THE PROCESS OF DELAYING FURTHER OPENING UP
GOVERNMENT TO THE PARTICIPATION OF THE PEOPLE," HE SAID.
CLARIFY, "THAT IS A SIMPLE ARGUMENT, ONE THAT IS FORMULATED TO
OF THE CURRENT NOT TO CONFUSE, AND ONE THAT I TRUST IS AT THE HEART
IN 1988. Ι DEBATE OF WHETHER TO HAVE DIRECT ELECTIONS AND HAVE THEM SEE NO CHANCE ANYONE CAN PROVE THE CONTRARY.
AND "HAVING SAID ALL THAT, HAVING ESTABLISHED ALL THE PREMISES
THE MORAL DERIVING ALL THE ARGUMENTS, WHY CAN'T WE STAND UP AND TAKE
POINT TO THE WAY OF RESPONSIBILITY AS LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO DIRECT ELECTIONS AND UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE?" MR LAI ASKED.
HIDE BEHIND THE HE STRESSED THAT COUNCILLORS COULD NO LONGER
FOR ONCE TAKE SHELTER OF THE SO-CALLED "SILENT MAJORITY" AND SHOULD THE
OF INITIATIVE IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
AS BEING DEAF TO MR LAI SAID: "WE HAVE BEEN CRITICISED
THE DAYA VOICE OF THE PEOPLE, OUR CREDIBILITY TOOK A BEATING IN EPISODE AND THE PUBLIC ORDER FIASCO."
CLEARLY POINTS
THE
BAY
BE
LET
AND WE HERE, IN ALONE ITS
"IF THE PUBLIC
TO DIRECT ELECTIONS CANNOT EVEN FOLLOW THIS TIME, WE WILL LOSE THE RIGHT TO AS FOLLOWERS OF THIS CHAMBER EVEN
THE
LEADERS, HE NOTED.
MR LAI SAID BEING A REALIST, IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEED OF
COMMUNITY,
HE WAS WILLING TO MAKE GRADUAL CHANGE.
COMPROMISE
OF UNDOUBTEDLY A MORE ADVANCE FORM
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, HE
A
WHILE DIRECT ELECTIONS WERE PRACTISING DEMOCRACY AND ACHIEVING
THE ELECTORAL THOUGHT IT PRUDENT TO RETAIN CONSTITUENCY SYSTEMS, AT LEAST FOR ANOTHER TERM TO TRANSITION.
COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL EFFECT A GRADUAL
/HE THEN