XN000022-1984-08-02 — Page 9

THURSDAY, AUGUST

46.4

8

DIRECT ELECTIONS

+AS REGARDS THE QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, I DO NOT INTEND 1. RETEAT ALL THE VERY VALID AND COGENT REASONS WHICH HAVE BEEN SET OUT IN THE GREEN PAPER AND WHICH YOU, SIR, REHEARSED COMPREHENSIVELY IN YOUR ADDRESS TO THIS COUNCIL ON JULY 18, ANI WHICH HAVE BEEN REINFORCED BY THE REMARKS OF MANY MEMBERS THIS AFTERNOON, AS TO WHY IT WOULD NOT BE WISE TO INTRODUCE SUCH ELECTIONS IMMEDIATELY. BUT I SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN RULED OUT FOREVER. THE TIME FOR THEM MAY COME IN DUE COURSE, IF STRONG POPULAR SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA DEVELOPS AND IT IS MADE CLEAR IN THE GREEN PAPER THAT THIS POSSIBILITY COULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE REVIEW WHICH IT IS PROPOSED SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN 1989.

IT WAS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT MR CHAN YING-LUN, MRS PAULINE NG AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS ARGUED THAT THE REVIEW SHOULD TAKE PLACE EARLIER THAN 1989. THERE MAY BE A CASE FOR THIS, BUT WE MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE POSSIBLE RISK OF ANY DISHARMONY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHICH THE EARLY INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MIGHT CAUSE; AND I NOTE THAT MOST MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN A SIMILAR VIEW THIS AFTERNOON.

+HERE MUST MAKE A PASSING COMMENT ON MISS DUNN'S POINT THAT THERE IS WHAT SHE CALLS A 'DISADVANTAGE' IN THOSE ELECTED TO DISTRICT BOARDS AND REGIONAL COUNCILS FORMING AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE FOR PART OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

+ I WOULD REMIND HER THAT ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND OF DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SAT IN THIS CHAMBER FOR SOME YEARS. SO I THINK WE MAY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THIS ELECTORAL COLLEGE PROPOSAL AND, PERSONAL QUALITIES AND EXPERIENCE ASIDE, THERE IS A CERTAIN LOGIC IN THE IDEA TOO, AS IN THIS GEOGRAPHICALLY COMPACT TERRITORY, THERE IS A CLOSE AFFINITY BETWEEN LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.

+AT THE SAME TIME, I SHOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE REMARKS MADE BY MR YEUNG PO-KWAN, MR WONG PO-YAN AND MR BROWN, AMONG OTHERS, AND STRONGLY URGE EVERYONE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN DIRECT ELECTIONS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL IN 1985, AND THE REGIONAL LEVEL IN 1986.

+SO I, TOO, WOULD CALL UPON THEM TO REGISTER AS VOTERS DURING THE FORTHCOMING REGISTRATION EXERCISE, WHICH COMMENCES ON AUGUST 15 AND GOES ON UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

+MISS DUNN AND DR HO KAM-FAI RIGHTLY POINTED OUT THAT AN UNREPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM WOULD BE A MOST UNFORTUNATE OUTCOME OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GREEN PAPER'S PROPOSALS.

+ THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY CANDIDATES COMING FORWARD WAS ALSO MENTIONED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS. I ENDORSE MR WONG LAM'S AND DR HENRIETTA IP'S CALL FOR A GREATER WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THOSE WITH A PROVEN RECORD OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO STAND FOR ELECTED OFFICE AND I AGREE WITH MRS PAULINE NG AND MR BROWN THAT APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS NEED TO BE DEVISED TO ENABLE POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO COME FORWARD AND PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE.

/+I ALSO