29
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988
NEVERTHELESS, MR CHEONG-LEEN
EXPRESSED SUPRISE AT THE CONSERVATIVE PROPOSAL THAT THERE SHOULD BE ONLY 10 DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1991 TO REPLACE THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTORAL COLLEGE SEATS.
"IN TERMS OF POPULATION, THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTORAL COLLEGE SEATS ARE TOO DISPROPORTIONATELY DIVIDED. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS TO START OFF WITH SHOULD BE 12 IN THE PROPORTION OF ONE ELECTED SEAT REPRESENTING ABOUT 500,000 POPULATION," HE SUGGESTED.
ON THE ABOLITION OF ELECTORAL COLLEGE SEATS IN 1991, HE WONDERED IF THIS FORESHADOWED THAT THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM WOULD BE REPLACED BY A GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
HE HOPED FURTHER CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO EXPANDING THE BASE OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM.
THUS WHILE DISTRICT HOARDS WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO ELECT MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, ALTHOUGH REDUCED IN NUMBER, OTHER ELECTORAL COLLEGE SEATS WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO TERRITORY-WIDE GROUPS, INCLUDING ADVISORY GROUPS AND NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS.
HE
CONCERNING FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID WAS SURPRISED THAT IT WAS NOT THOUGHT FIT ΤΟ EXPAND THE EDUCATION CONSTITUENCY TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL SEAT FOR THE TERTIARY LEVEL.
ON THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSALS THAT URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD IN 1989 ELECT 10 REPRESENTATIVES TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THAT URBAN COUNCILLORS LOSE THEIR EX-OFFICIO DISTRICT BOARD SEATS AT THE SAME TIME, HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO POSTPONE IMPLEMENTATION FROM 1989 UNTIL 1991.
SUCH POSTPONEMENT WOULD ENABLE URBCO TO REBUILD ITS EXISTING CHAMBERS IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODTE THE ADDITIONAL COUNCILLORS.
IT WOULD ALSO GIVE URBCO A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME TO ADJUST TO THIS SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN MEMBERSHIP, BEARING IN MIND THAT THERE WOULD BE CHANGES IN THE COUNCIL'S MEMBERSHIP IN 1989 ON BOYFIE THE ELECTED AND APPOINTED SIDES, HE EXPLAINED.
COMMENTING ON EMIGRATION OF TALENTED PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG, *18 CHEONG-LEEN STRESSED THAT CHINA WOULD HAVE TO AIM FOR A BASIC LAR THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO ALL SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND NOT TO JUST ONE INFLUENTIAL SEGMENT.
THIS WOULD HELP ENSURE THAT AFTER THE BASIC LAW WAS ADOPTED IN 1990, HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD BE MORE THAN EVER WILLING TO REGARD HONG KONG AS THEIR PERMANENT HOME.
STRATA
MOREOVER, HE SAID BOTH CHINA AND BRITAIN WOULD HAVE TO BE SEEN TO BE GIVING FULL RECOGNITION AND RESPECT TO THE VIEWS OF ALL OF PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG.
/"JUDGING FROM