XN000022-1984-08-02 — Page 8

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1984

+ THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES, RADIO TELEVISION

HONG KONG AND THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION HAVE BEEN TASKED TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPOSALS ARE EXPLAINED TO AS IDE AN AUDIENCE AS POSSIBLE INCLUDING, I CAN ASSURE MR WONG LAM, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND AREA COMMITTEES. AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT'S MACHINERY HAS BEEN TASKED TO FEED BACK ALL COMMENTS RECEIVED AND HEARD FOR CENTRAL COLLATION AND ANALYSIS.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE GREEN PAPER

+ I WELCOME IN PARTICULAR MEMBERS' SUPPORT FOR THE GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE GREEN PAPER WHICH IS, IN FACT, ENSHRINED IN ITS TITLE, NAMELY, THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. MEMBERS HAVE ALSO ENDORSED, IT SEEMS TO ME, THE UNDERLYING APPROACH ADOPTED, THAT IS TO SAY, TO BUILD PROGRESSIVELY ON EXISTING INSTITUTIONS AND WELL-ESTABLISHED PRACTICES.

+CERTAINLY, MEMBERS SEEMED TO AGREE THAT SUCH DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES A SYSTÉM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, ON WHICH THE VIEWS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE FULLY REPRESENTED, AND WHICH IS MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. AS THE MOVER OF THE MOTION, MR ROGER LOBO AND

MR STEPHEN CHEONG AND OTHER MEMBERS STRESSED, IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO PROCEED IN A MANNER WHICH WILL MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AT THIS VERY CRUCIAL PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY.

COMMENTS ON THE GREEN PAPER

+ALTHOUGH I THINK IT IS TRUE TO SAY THAT THE PROPOSALS IN THE GREEN PAPER HAVE BEEN FAVOURABLY RECEIVED, SOME CRITICISMS THERE HAVE BEEN, NATURALLY, AND THEY FALL INTO FIVE GROUPS: THE PROPOSALS ARE TOO CAUTIOUS; NO PROVISION HAS BEEN MADE FOR EARLY DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THE CONCEPT OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES HAS NOT BEEN EXPLAINED CLEARLY ENOUGH A TRULY REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT REQUIRES NOT ONLY AN ELECTIVE SYSTEM, BUT ALSO THE DIRECT ASSOCIATION OF ELECTED MEMBERS WITH THE EXECUTIVE PROCESS; AND THE PERIOD ALLOWED FOR PUBLIC CONSIDERATION AND COMMENT IS TOO SHORT.

THE PROPOSALS

+ IT IS TRUE THAT THE PROPOSALS IN THE GREEN PAPER ARE FAIRLY CAUTIOUS, ALTHOUGH IT SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN THAT THEY DO REPRESENT A VERY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE METHOD OF SELECTING THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS - FROM A SYSTEM OF APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR TO ONE OF INDIRECT ELECTIONS BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, MIXED WITH APPOINTMENTS BY THE GOVERNOR. IN MY OPINION, NO APOLOGY IS NECESSARY FOR PROCEEDING CAUTIOUSLY AND PRAGMATICALLY. AND AS MR STEPHEN CHEONG POINTED OUT, WE MUST BE REALISTIC IN WHAT WE DO.

/DIRECT LECTIONS