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THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1990
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"MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE COUNCIL. BUT IT FELL TO THIS COUNCIL TO SET DOWN A FIRM MARKER ON WHERE THE COMMUNITY'S ASPIRATIONS LAY," HE SAID.
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'MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAMMERED OUT A CONSENSUS, IN ITSELF NO MEAN ACHIEVEMENT, AND STUCK RESOLUTELY TO IT. THE FINAL OUTCOME NOT
MEET MEMBERS' EXPECTATIONS IN FULL, BUT THE PROGRESS WHICH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEIR FIRM RESOLVE, SIR DAVID SAID.
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT CLEARLY, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, THE BASIC LAW WAS A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, ADDING: "WE HOPE THAT THAT GOVERNMENT WILL BE PREPARED TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON THE PACE OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT HERE.
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"CLEARLY THE PERFORMANCE OF THE 1991 LEGISLATURE WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN INFLUENCING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE WAY FORWARD," SIR DAVID SAID.
NOTING THAT ATTITUDES IN HONG KONG HAD CHANGED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD RESPONDED ΤΟ THE DEMAND FOR A FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRACY BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY SEATS FROM THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED 10 IN THE 1988 WHITE PAPER TO 18 IN 1991.
"THE SUCCESS OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG WILL DEPEND VERY MUCH ON THE QUALITY OF CANDIDATES WHO COME FORWARD IN THAT ELECTION AND THE TURNOUT OF THE VOTERS," HE SAID.
SIR DAVID SAID THE COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL IN 1991, THE CONSTITUTIONAL BOUNDARIES AND THE TYPE OF VOTING SYSTEM WOULD BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.
"IN CONSIDERING ALL THESE IMPORTANT MATTERS OUR CONCERN IS ΤΟ DEVISE AS FAIR A SYSTEM AS POSSIBLE, A SYSTEM WHICH WILL NOT FAVOUR ANY PARTICULAR GROUP IN THE COMMUNITY OVER ANOTHER, AND TO ENCOURAGE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO PARTICIPATE AND VOTE, HE SAID.
"THIS COUNCIL WILL OF COURSE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SCRUTINISE AND DEBATE THE LEGISLATION WHICH WILL GIVE EFFECT TO THOSE ARRANGEMENTS," HE ADDED.
"BUT ELECTIONS ARE NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. IN ORDER TO SUCCEED WE MUST HAVE THE WHOLEHEARTED ACTIVE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY IN 1991, HE SAID.
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THE BASIC LAW PROVIDED A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH HONG KONG COULD CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, NOTING THAT THE FUNDAMENTALS ON WHICH THE TERRITORY'S SUCCESS IN THE PAST HAD BEEN BUILT, HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED NOR WERE THEY LIKELY TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.
"WE STILL HAVE A HARDWORKING AND RESILIENT WORKFORCE, UNRIVALLED ENTREPRENEURS, A SOUND ECONOMY, PERSONAL FREEDOMS, AND A STABLE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.
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"IT SEEMS