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THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1988
"NOW OR NEVER' THEORY DISPROVED
WHITE THE
PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN A COMMITMENT TO AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTION IN 1991 AND HAS THUS DISPROVED THE "NOW OR NEVER" THEORY, THE HON HO SAID TODAY (THURSDAY),
EDWARD
SPEAKING
DURING THE DEBATE
HO
ON THE WHITE PAPER
MR COUNCIL, LEGISLATIVE
HIS REITERATED
OPPOSITION INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO THIS YEAR.
IN THE TO THE
A NUMBER OF KONG THREE YEARS IN
HE STRESSED THAT THE WHITE PAPER'S PROVISION FOR DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1991 WOULD GIVE HONG WHICH TO PREPARE FOR THE CHANGE.
THE TIME IT NEEDED BETTER IT WOULD ALSO GIVE HONG KONG
то THAT MORE PEOPLE PROMOTE CIVIC EDUCATION AND POLITICAL AWARENESS 80 WOULD TRULY PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.
SYSTEMS
OF
MR HO ACCEPTED THE ARGUMENT IN THE WHITE PAPER THAT ADVANTAGE
HAVING IN
TWO PARALLEL REPRESENTATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
NO
IN ORDER
NOT
TO
THERE WAS GEOGRAPHICAL
HE FELT THAT,
UPSET THE
OF THE BALANCE
THE FUNCTIONAL LEGISLATURE AT THIS STAGE BY INCREASING MORE SEATS IN
SOME GROUPS WHICH CONSTITUENCIES TO TAKE CARE OF THE ASPIRATIONS OF
OF WANTED TO BE REPRESENTED, A
PROPOSED SYSTEM OF THE REVIEW
LAW WAS GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT BEFORE 1991, ONCE THE BASIC PROMULGATED.
OF GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT
"BY 1991, WE SHOULD HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM THAT CAN BE EVOLVED SMOOTHLY AND PROGRESSIVELY TOWARDS THE SYSTEM FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION," HE SAID.
DEVOTE
IN THE MEANTIME, MR HO URGED ALL PEOPLE IN HONG KONG TO
OF THE BASIC THEIR ENERGY AND ATTENTION TO STUDYING THE FIRST DRAFT LAW, AND TO MAKE CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS ON IT.
ON DEBATING
MATTERS WHICH GOVERN US
"WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WE ARE NOW 'RE TRANSITIONAL TO A DATE IN 1997; BUT THE BASIC LAW WILL FOR 50 YEARS THEREAFTER.
"IN THIS, WE HAVE
OUR NEXT
A GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS GENERATION. WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO REMAIN SILENT," HE SAID.
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