3
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1988
SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS
THIS SYSTEM
CLEAR
OF
OF HONG KONG TO CONTINUE
EVOLVE AND SHOULD BE THE BASIS FOR
THAT THE PEOPLE GOVERNMENT WISHED TO SEE BELIEVED THE PRESENT THREE TIER STRUCTURE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.
"THEY
VALUE
APPROACH GRADUAL THE
AND WHICH
IN
WHICH HAS CHARACTERISED
YEARS
HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IN RECENT MAINTAINING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY," HE SAID.
SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT ANOTHER FACTOR WHICH WAS CLEARLY
IN THE GREEN PAPER THE MINDS OF MANY WHEN CONSIDERING OPTIONS BEEN THE IMPORTANCE OF ACHIEVING A SMOOTH TRANSITION ACROSS ENSURING THAT DEVELOPMENTS BEFORE THAT DATE WERE COMPATIBLE FRAMEWORK TO BE ESTABLISHED IN THE BASIC LAW.
IN
HAD
1997, BY WITH THE
LED MANY TO ADOPT A CAUTIOUS "THIS FACTOR HAS UNDOUBTEDLY
HE SAID. APPROACH TO CHANGE BEFORE THE BASIC LAW IS FINALISED,'
THE
GREEN
ΤΟ FOR INTRODUCING
PAPER SHOWED DIRECTLY SOME
SIR DAVID SAID THE RESPONSE
IN PRINCIPLE SUPPORT OVERWHELMING ELECTED MEMBERS INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WELL BEFORE 1997.
OPINION IN THE ELECTIONS SHOULD BE
BUT THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT ALSO SHOWED THAT COMMUNITY WAS SHARPLY DIVIDED ON WHETHER DIRECT INTRODUCED IN 1988 OR LATER.
VIEWS HAS BBEN CLEARLY THE MUNICIPAL
SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THE DIVISION OF DEMONSTRATED IN DEBATES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IN COUNCILS AND IN THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
WERE ONF-SIDED,
DIVIDED SHOW THAT VIEWS
"WHILE SIGNATURE CAMPAIGNS, NOT SURPRISINGLY, SUBMISSIONS FROM GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS ALSO INDICATE SHARPLY VIEWS AND THE MUCH DISCUSSED PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS ARE FAR FROM UNANIMOUS ON THE QUESTION OF TIMING,
H HE SAID.
COMMUNITY,
WOULD
BE
"IN THE LIGHT OF THIS DIVERSITY OF VIEWS WITHIN THE
IT WHETHER VERY CAREFULLY THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONSIDERED RIGHT TO GO AHEAD TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988.
DIRECT
ELECTIONS
"THE INTRODUCTION OF COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT STEP.
THE INTO
LEGISLATIVE
MUS'T BE
QUITE
CERTAIN THAT "WHEN WE TAKE THIS STEP, WE CARRY WITH US THE WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
WE
"WE BELIEVE THAT IF WE WERE TO PROCEED IN 1988 WE WOULD HAVE NO SUCH ASSURANCE."
WITH DIRECT ELECTIONS
NOT THE RIGHT
YEAR,
"BUT IF FOR THESE REASONS 1988 IS THERE SHOULD BE A CLEAR DECISION ON WHEN THIS IMPORTANT CHANGE IN POLITICAL SYSTEM SHOULD BE MADE."
/SIR DAVID
THEN
OUR