11
THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1988
REFERRING TO THE EXPANSION OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES FOR THE YEE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR LAI SAID IT WAS SURPRISING THAT THE HEUNG KUK DID NOT HAVE A SEAT IN THE COUNCIL.
IT
"IF
IS CONSTITUENCIES, THEN
IMPOSSIBLE
AT
TO INCLUDE
LEAST
IT REPRESENTATION
IN
THE FUNCTIONAL IN THE COUNCIL
ITS
MANY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE GUARANTEED. AFTER ALL, HOW CAN CLAIM TO REPRESENT 500,000 PEOPLE?" HE ASKED.
DR LAI SAID AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE WAS ACCOUNTABLE TO
CONSTITUENCIES WHO ELECTED HIM. MEMBERS ELECTED FROM FUNCTIONAL ONLY ACCOUNTABLE TO A SPECIFIC TRADE OR BUSINESS.
CONSTITUENCY
THOSE WERE
WERE
TOO
MUCH
THE
OF INTERESTS
A FUNCTIONAL NARROWLY-BASED. BY CONTRAST, DISTRICT-BASED CONSTITUENCIES COULD BETTER REPRESENT THE PUBLIC'S INTERESTS.
ANOTHER
PROBLEM
CONCERNED
THE
THE OF REPRESENTATIVENESS
WHICH TRADE WAS TO BE
FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM, IN DECIDING INCLUDED AND WHICH WAS TO BE LEFT OUT.
OF SEATS "OF COURSE MANY PROFESSIONS SEE THEMSELVES AS WORTHY
THEM IN TURN CREATES IN THE COUNCIL; ARBITRARILY GRANTING SEATS TO
ARE EXCLUDED, CONFLICTS AND FURTHER DEMAND FOR SEATS FROM THOSE WHO HE SAID.
"I
CERTAINLY
HOPE
11
OF EXPANSION
FUNCTIONAL THAT THE
PRELUDE TO THE 'GRAND ELECTORAL CONSTITUENCY SEATS TODAY IS NOT A COLLEGE' SYSTEM IN LATER YEARS."
HAVE PREPARED
DR LAI ALSO SAID THAT SINCE THE GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991, IT WAS ADVISABLE TO GET EVERYTHING AT LEAST ONE YEAR BEFORE THE ELECTION DATE.
"DETAILS
LIKE
NOMINATION
CONSTITUENCY CONSTITUENCY MUST BE
QUALIFICATIONS, BOUNDARIES, NUMBER OF SEATS ALLOCATED IN EACH CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT TO AVOID CONFUSION.
Fr
"AN EARLY RELEASE OF THESE CANDIDATE TO FULLY PREPARE HIMSELF TO STAND FOR ELECTION.
ARRANGEMENTS
WILL
ENABLE
A
H
FOR
DR LAI SAID HE FELT THAT THE WHITE PAPER FAILED TO PROVIDE
PREPARE FOR FUTURE
OF REPRESENTATIVE DEVELOPMENT MORE CHANGES TO GOVERNMENT AS THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO CEASE BY 1997.
"THE 10
OFFICIAL MEMBERS
MEMBERS ONLY REDUCES BY TWO. AS I CHANGE' IS ESSENTIAL TO
CHANGES
+
IN 1988 WILL HAVE BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997," HE SAID.
MAINTAIN
REMAIN. THE NUMBER OF HAVE SUBMITTED STABILITY.
APPOINTED
ΤΟ BE
FOLLOWED
BY
EARLIER, HOWEVER, THE
AN 'ABRUPT
' GRADUAL 'GRADUAL CHANGE'
/12