WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988
17
DIRECT ELECTION IN A REASONABLE NUMBER AND
"THE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES STANDING FOR A DISTRICT MUST, IN SOME WAYS, BE LIMITED TO THEIR QUALITIES AND ABILITIES MUST SOMEHOW BE SCREENED," DR IP SAID.
"1 CANNOT FORESEE HOW BOTH THESE REQUIREMENTS CAN BE ACHIEVED EXCEPT THROUGH NOMINATION OF SOME KIND BY THE RESPECTIVE DISTRICT BOARDS.
"
COMMITMENT PUTS END TO UNCERTAINTY
THE FIRM COMMITMENT MADE IN THE WHITE PAPER TO INTRODUCE STOP DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991 IS WELCOMED BY MANY PEOPLE AS IT PUTS A
AND TO SPECULATION
UNCERTAINTY, THE HON RITA FAN SAID IN THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THESE
SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, MRS FAN SAID IT WAS NOW TIME TO START PREPARING FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS TO MAKE THEM MEANINGFUL AND REPRESENTATIVE.
SHE SAID SHE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WOULD NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE VIEW THAT THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG WAS DEPENDENT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988.
**VARIOUS SURVEY REPORTS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, BUT THEY DO NOT INSIST THAT THIS MUST HAPPEN IN 1988,
THE EFFORTS OF SOME COUNCILLORS IN DEMANDING
"
MAJORITY
SHE SAID.
DIRECT
ELECTIONS
IN 1988 DID DESERVE RECOGNITION.
"THEY HAVE MOBILISED CONSIDERABLE SUPPORT FOR THEIR CAUSE
SHE SAID. THROUGH SHEER PERSISTENCE AND ORGANISATIONAL POWER,
H
"THEIR SUCCESS WILL NOT GO UNNOTICED. BUT IS ['T NECESSARY TO WHEN THE COMMUNITY OF HONG
BE SO RIGID ON THE TIMING PARTICULARLY KONG IS PREPARED TO ACCEPT 1991?"
MRS FAN SAID COUNCILLORS MUST REMEMBER THAT WERK REALISTIC AND PRAGMATIC.
HONG
KONG PEOPLE
"WE MUST RECOGNISE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENT CAN WELL PROGRESS AFTER 1997," SHE SAID.
OF
"UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, THE TIMING OF 1991 OR REALLY MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE.
"
REPRESENTATIVE
1988 DOES NOT
/MRS FAN