WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988
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DIVERSITY OF VIEWS HEALTHY FOR COMMUNITY
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THE DIVERSITY OF VIEWS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH ARE HEALTHY FOR A COMMUNITY, DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
DR IP SAID WHAT WAS EVEN HEALTHIER, HOWEVER, WAS THE ABILITY OF A GOVERNMENT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, TO MAKE A DECISION, STAND BY IT AND CARRY IT THROUGH, FIRMLY AND CONSCIENTIOUSLY DESPITE THE DIVERSITY OF VIEWS AND DEMANDS.
"THE RECENT TREND OF INCREASING DEMANDS HAS MADE GOVERNMENT'S TASK DIFFICULT," SHE OBSERVED DURING THE DEBATE ON WHITE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
THE
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THE WHITE ACCORDING
"FOR THOSE WHO TREASURE A STRONG AND DECISIVE GOVERNMENT, SUPPORT CAN BE GIVEN TO IT AS LONG AS ITS PROPOSALS IN PAPER ARE SAFE, WORKABLE AND HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE," SHE SAID.
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"AND IN MY OPINION IT IS, SHE SAID, ADDING THAT "THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR FURTHER CHANGES IN THE FUTURE."
DR IP SAID SHE WAS GRATEFUL THAT THE MAJORITY OF HER REQUESTS MADE IN THE GREEN PAPER DEBATE LAST YEAR WERE FULFILLED.
DENTISTS, AND CONSTITUENCIES, IN THE
THESE INCLUDED THE INTRODUCTION OF ACCOUNTANTS, PARAMEDICAL PROFESSIONALS INTO EXPANDED FUNCTIONAL AND ADOPTION OF AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY WITH PREFERENTIAL VOTING FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.
"I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL NOTE OF PRAISE, FOR THE INGENIOUS WAY IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS TACKLED THE DIFFICULTY IN INTRODUCING AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY METHOD IN THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS BY USING THE PREFERENTIAL ELIMINATION SYSTEM OF VOTING, SHE SAID.
"THE BEAUTY LIES IN OBTAINING AN ALLOWING COMPLETE FREEDOM FOR VOTERS ΤΟ PREFERENTIAL VOTES, AND EXPEDITING THE TASK RE-VOTING.
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ABSOLUTE MAJORITY, YET ENTER ONE OR MORE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR
DR IP SAID SOME OF HER PROPOSALS HAD NOT YET BEEN MET, AND IT WAS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE LENGTH OF THEIR TERM WOULD BE INCREASED.
ON THE WAY FORWARD, IN THE LIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DECLARED POLICY TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS FROM THE DISTRICTS IN SAID MOVES MUST BE MADE CAUTIOUSLY.
1991,
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