XN000022-1984-08-02 — Page 10

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1984

+ I ALSO HEARTILY ENDORSE THE CALLS MADE BY MR PETER POON, MR WONG LAM, AND MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG AND OTHERS FOR MORE CIVIC EDUCATION TO BE PROVIDED ALTHOUGH, HOWEVER APATHETIC HONG KONG PEOPLE MAY BE THOUGHT TO BE BY MISS DUNN AND MR ALEX WU AND MR POON ABOUT POLITICS AS SUCH, IT IS NOT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE - AND I AM SURE IT IS NOT THE IRS EITHER AS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS - THAT THERE IS A LACK OF INTEREST IN HOW OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS ARE MANAGED. NEVERTHELESS, AM SURE THAT THE PLANS FOR DEVELOPING CIVIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS DESCRIBED BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION IN THIS COUNCIL ON JULY 25 WILL ULTIMATELY IMPROVE WHAT MR PETER WONG DESCRIBED AS CIVIC AWARENESS.

I

FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES

+AS REGARDS FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, TO WHICH MRS RITA FAN, DR HO KAM-FAI AND SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS REFERRED, I AGREE THAT THIS CONCEPT IS DESCRIBED IN GENERAL TERMS ONLY IN THE GREEN PAPER AND THAT MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN TO BE ANSWERED AS TO HOW TO DEFINE THE CONSTITUENCIES AND THE ELECTORAL RULES TO BE APPLIED. WE WERE DELIBERATELY SUGGESTIVE AND SUGGESTIVE ONLY IN THE GREEN PAPER. THE PURPOSE OF A GREEN PAPER, AFTER ALL, IS TO STIMULATE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

+CLEARLY, WE NEED ADVICE AS TO WHICH SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE REPRESENTED BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. SOME EXAMPLES ARE GIVEN IN THE GREEN PAPER OF WHICH SECTORS SHOULD PERHAPS BE REPRESENTED, INCLUDING THE LEGAL AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONS, THE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND FINANCIAL SECTORS, LABOUR ORGANISATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. BUT THESE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY AND, I MUST ADMIT, TEND TO REFLECT THE CONSTITUENCIES TRADITIONALLY REPRESENTED ON THE COUNCILS UNDER THE NOMINATED SYSTEM.

+THE CASE FOR OTHER SECTORS, SUCH AS SOCIAL SERVICES AND TRADITIONAL ORGANISATIONS, WILL NOT BE OVERLOOKED AND ALL IDEAS FORTHCOMING WILL BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED. THE AIM IS TO IDENTIFY ALL THOSE SECTORS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHICH PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR AFFAIRS, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, AND THEN DECIDE HOW TO CATER FOR THEM.

+WHEN A DEFINITIVE LIST OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES HAS BEEN COMPILED, IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO SELECT THOSE WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE THE FIRST SIX MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO BE ELECTED ON THIS BASIS IN 1985 AND, LATER ON, THOSE WHICH WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL SIX MEMBERS IN 1988.

*WE SHALL NEED TO DEFINE THESE CONSTITUENCIES CAREFULLY AS WELL AS DETERMINE HOW THE ELECTORAL ROLLS FOR EACH OF THESE CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE DRAWN UP. AS HAS BEEN INDICATED IN THE GREEN PAPER, SOME FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WILL PROBABLY CONSIST OF THE LEADING ORGANISATIONS WITHIN THAT SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY: OTHERS WILL CONSIST OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSION CONCERNED. IT WILL ALSO BE NECESSARY TO CONSIDER SUCH QUESTIONS AS HOW THE ELECTIONS BY THESE VARIOUS FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE CONDUCTED, AND WHAT THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR VOTERS AND CANDIDATES SHOULD BE.

+CAREFUL CONSIDERATION

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