34
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1992
WIDE-RANGING ELECTORAL PACKAGE PROPOSED
A
JOINT
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY UNVEILED
OF PROPOSALS PACKAGE
TO DEVELOP HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE INSTITUTIONS
MAXIMUM EXTENT WITHIN THE TERMS DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW.
ΤΟ THE
THE PROPOSED ELECTORAL PACKAGE INCLUDES:
* LOWERING THE VOTING AGE TO 18
* INTRODUCTION OF SINGLE SEAT, SINGLE VOTE CONSTITUENCIES
* EXTENDING THE ELECTORATE OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES
* EXPANDING THE ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARDS
* DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS TO BE DIRECTLY ELECTED
* ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION * MEMBERS OF THE 1995 ELECTION COMMITTEE TO BE DRAWN FROM
DIRECTLY ELECTED DBS
IN OUTLINING HIS PROPOSALS TO LEGCO MEMBERS, MR PATTEN MADE CLEAR THAT THEY WOULD REQUIRE SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH PEKING.
IT
THE
CHINESE
"LET US BE CLEAR WHY WE ARE DISCUSSING WITH GOVERNMENT ALL THESE ISSUES RELATING TO THE 1995 ELECTIONS.
"THE COMMUNITY
GOVERNMENT. THINK IT IS EQUALLY PLAIN THAT A MAJORITY WANTS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
WITH THE BASIC LAW FAR AS POSSIBLE, ΤΟ
AS BE COMPATIBLE,
WANTS MORE REPRESENTATIVE
BUT
I
AND,
ACCORDINGLY, TO TRANSCEND 1997.
OF
REASON, THE
REQUIRE
SERIOUS
"AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE OPINIONS BOTH THE PRESENT AND FUTURE SOVEREIGN POWERS. FOR THIS PROPOSALS
I AM PUTTING FORWARD THIS AFTERNOON WILL
+
DISCUSSION WITH PEKING, HE SAID.
THE
MR PATTEN SAID WHAT HE WAS OUTLINING WAS THE BROAD SHAPE OF THE
WHICH UNDERSTANDING
HE
ACHIEVED BOTH WITHIN HOPED COULD BE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
LOWER VOTING AGE
THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WISHED TO SEE THE VOTING AGE REDUCED FROM 21 TO 18, AS THE COUNCIL ITSELF HAD RECMMENDED, AND WHICH WAS REGARDED AS A SENSIBLE IN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD
VOTING AGE.
HE SAID YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN HONG KONG WERE JUST AS ABLE EXERCISE THEIR JUDGMENT AS CITIZENS AS THEIR AGE GROUP ELSEWHERE.
SINGLE VOTE, SINGLE SEAT
TO
MR PATTEN SAID THE 1991 SYSTEM OF DOUBLE MEMBER HAD BEEN CRITICISED BECAUSE OF THE "COAT TAIL" EFFECT.
CONSTITUENCIES
/"TO AVOID