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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988
ON THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1991, MR CHENG SAID HE HAD NO OBJECTION ΤΟ THE PROPOSED FIGURE OF 10 WHICH HE DEEMED SENSIBLE AND REASONABLE AS A BEGINNING.
"NOR DO I HAVE ANY OBJECTION то THE BASIS ON WHICH DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE ΤΟ BE CARRIED OUT
THE SINGLE-SEAT GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES.
MR CHENG SAID THAT MORE EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE BETWEEN NOW AND 1991 TO INTENSIFY THE PROCESS OF CIVIC EDUCATION ΤΟ PREPARE PEOPLE FOR THE CHANGE.
ON DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, HR SAID THE PROVISION SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER ALLOWED EACH OF THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THIS MOVE WAS WORTHY OF SUPPORT.
"I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN FAVOUR OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS BEING ELECTED TO THE URBAN COUNCIL то ENHANCE CROSS-MEMBERSHIP,
"THIS, I BELIEVE, WILL ENSURE THAT THE VIEWS AND AT EACH LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT ARE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED AT HIGHER LEVEL AND WILL, IN TURN, ENABLE OUR PRESENT STRUCTURE TO OPERATE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVELY, HE SAID.
THAT
CONCERNS THE NEXT THREE-TIER
CONTINUE
MR CHENG ALSO SAID HE AGREED THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD TO PRESIDE OVER THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND
THE NUMBER OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AND THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS BE FURTHER REDUCED.
THE GOVERNMENT HAD
HOWEVER, HE SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT NOT PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL SEAT FOR ARCHITECTS, SURVEYORS AND PLANNERS WHO HE SAID WERE OUTNUMBERED BY ENGINEERS WITHIN HIS CONSTITUENCY.
"I EARNESTLY HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD STRIKE A FAIR BALANCE BETWEEN THESE PROFESSIONALS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN FUTURE APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE."
HE WAS ALSO DISAPPOINTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT TAKEN NOTE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION MADE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY BY MEMBERS OF THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION AND THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION.
MEMBERS OF THESE TWO BODIES SHOULD BE REPRESENTED ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.
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