ANN
5
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988
"ONLY THEN WILL WE CARRY CONVICTION WHEN WE STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS AND WAY OF LIFE THAT HAVE BEEN PLEDGED ΤΟ US BY THE JOINT
DECLARATION," SHE SAID.
WITHOUT THE JOINT
DECLARATION,
HONG KONG WOULD FACE THE
CERTAIN REVERSION TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY WITH NO PROMISE OF AUTONOMY.
"IF WE DO NOT FRAGMENTED COMMUNITY SUSPICION, SHE SAID.
PULL OURSELVES TOGETHER WE RISK BECOMING A PARALYSED BY CONFUSION, SELF-DOUBT AND
"IF WE CANNOT RECONCILE OUR DIFFERENCES, WHAT OF BUILDING A FUTURE TOGETHER?"
CHANCE HAVE WE
PURSUE IDEAL DE PREPARED TO
SHE SAID IT WAS ALL VERY WELL FOR INDIVIDUALS TO SOLUTIONS, BUT WHEN ALL HAD HAD THEIR SAY, THEY MUST ACCEPT THE OUTCOME ENDORSED BY THE MAJORITY.
MISS DUNN SAID THAT TWO POINTS HAD CLEARLY EMERGED FROM THE
GREEN PAPER CONSULTATION EXERCISE.
FIRST, THE PEOPLE DID WANT MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, AND SECONDLY, NEARLY ALL SAW THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS THE NEXT STAGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
HOWEVER, THE OUTCOME OF THE DEBATE ON THE TIMING OF THAT NEXT STEP HAD BEEN "DIVISIVE", ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY REPORT HAD SHOWN THAT PUBLIC OPINION
THIS ISSUE WAS "OBVIOUSLY SPLIT".
ON
MISS DUNN EMPHASISED THAT IF THE VIEWS OF THE COMMUNITY ON THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN AS DECISIVE AS THOSE ON ALL THE OTHER KEY ISSUES IN THE GREEN PAPER, AND HAD CLEARLY SUPPORTED THE DEMANDS FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988, MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE ADVISED THE GOVERNOR TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS THIS YEAR.
Ir
'CONTROVERSIAL CHANGES NEED A BROAD CONSENSUS TO SUSTAIN THEM, SHE SAID. "NO RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE, OR SHOULD ATTEMPT TO MAKE, RADICAL CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES WITHOUT CLEAR COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
"IT IS NOT A SIMPLE QUESTION OF WHETHER MORE PEOPLE WERE FOR AND LESS AGAINST, BUT WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT COULD IGNORE THE GENUINE RESERVATIONS OF SO MANY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE AGAINST CHANGE IN
1988.
MISS DUNN FELT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOW DEVOTE MORE THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION TO THE SORT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE: HOW A FULLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE WOULD OPERATE IN THR FUTURE; AND THE CONTENT OF THE BASIC
LAW.
"THE BASIC LAW IS то BE THE BLUEPRINT FOR OUR CAPITALIST SYSTEM, OUR LIFE-STYLE, OUR FREEDOMS IN THE YEARS ΤΟ COME. WE MUST HELP THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE TO GET IT RIGHT.
/"AND TO