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WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1989
MR
ON THE FORMATION AND COMPOSITION OF THE FUTURE LEGISLATURE, LEE REITERATED MEMBERS' SUPPORT FOR THE TIMETABLE OF INTRODUCING 50 PER CENT DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1997 AND 100 FER CENT DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 2003.
PROVIDE THAT THE WOULD THEREFORE
"WE ALSO AGREED THAT THIS CLEAR TIMETABLE IS NEEDED TO A FOCUS TOWARDS WHICH THE COMMUNITY COULD WORK, AND REFERENDUM ENVISAGED IN ANNEX II OF THE SECOND DRAFT NOT BE NECESSARY, HE ADDED.
FI
IN CONSIDERING THE DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS THE ULTIMATE AIM OF HAVING ALL MEMBERS DIRECTLY ELECTED IN 2003, MEMBERS HAD TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE NEED FOR "ORDERLY PROGRESSION' ΤΟ AVOID ABRUPT CHANGES WHICH COULD BE UNSETTLING, AND RECOGNISED THE NEED ΤΟ RETAIN FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SEATS DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD AND IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE HKSAR.
THAT
FUNCTIONAL
"EXPERIENCE IIAS SHOWN
CONSTITUENCY REPRESENTATIVES HAVE A DISTINCT AND EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE, AND IT WOULD SUIT HONG KONG'S UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES TO RETAIN THESE SEATS UNTIL 2003 WHILE THE COMMUNITY PREPARES ITSELF FOR A FULLY DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE, HE SAID.
**
BASED ON THESE REASONS, MEMBERS RECOMMENDED THAT IN 1997. OF THE TOTAL 60 SEATS, 30 SHOULD BE FILLED BY DIRECT ELECTIONS AND 30 FROM FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES: THAT IS 50 PER CENT OF THE SEATS SHOULD BE FILLED BY DIRECT ELECTIONS.
IN 1999. THE SECOND TERM OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION LEGISLATURE, THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS SHOULD INCREASE FROM 30 TO 60. WHILE THE NUMBER OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SEATS SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED. HENCE, THERE WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 90 SEATS, 66 PER CENT OF WHICH WOULD BE FILLED BY DIRECT ELECTIONS.
SEATS
IN 2003, THE THIRD TERM, THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SHOULD BE FURTHER INCREASED BY 30, THAT IS FROM 60 TO 90. THIS WOULD MAKE UP THE ENTIRE LEGISLATURE, THEREBY ACHIEVING 100 PER CENT UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
"THE SIZE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL BE SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THAT PROPOSED IN THE BASIC LAW DRAFT IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHANGES WE RECOMMEND AND TO COPE WITH THE WORKLOAD ENVISAGED, MR LEE SAID.
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HE URGED ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY ΤΟ CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS ALREADY AGREED BY MEMBERS ON THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE HKSAR GOVERNMENT. MEANWHILE, MEMBERS OF THE TWO COUNCILS WOULD CONTINUE TO STUDY THE DRAFT BASIC LAW IN DETAIL, WITH A VIEW TO REACHING FURTHER CONSENSUS ON OTHER IMPORTANT AREAS.
MR LEE HOPED THAT WHEN VIEWS BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY REACH THE BASIC LAW DRAFTERS, THEY WOULD CARRY ONE VOICE: THE VOICE OF UNITY WHICH HAD CLEARLY BEEN HEARD IN HONG KONG WHEN THE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN OVER RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA.
COMMUNITY
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