WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1984
+TO THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH HONG KONG THE TASK SEEMS TO BE IMPOSSIBLE. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG HOW KONG BUT DERIVES ITS AUTHORITY FROM APPOINTMENT BY BRITAIN. CAN ACCEPTABILITY BE MEASURED IN A PLACE WHICH HAS ONLY HAD UNIVERSAL FRANCHISE FOR TWO YEARS, WHERE ONLY A THIRD OF THE ELECTORATE IS ON THE ELECTORAL ROLL AND ONLY ONE THIRD OF THIS VOTED WHEN LOCAL ELECTIONS WERE HELD? TO THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH HONG KONG THE QUESTION IS UNANSWERABLE.
+TO THOSE WHO LIVE HERE THE ABSENCE OF FORMAL ELECTORAL INSTITUTIONS IS LESS WORRYING. GOVERNMENTS EVERYWHERE HAVE TO ACT TO A GREATER OR LESSER DEGREE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WISHES OF THE IR PEOPLE. THE MORE OPEN THE SOCIETY, THE GREATER THE ARRAY OF FREEDOMS, THE CLOSER MUST GOVERNMENT ACTIONS CONFORM WITH THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE. IF THEY DEPART FROM THESE WISHES DISSENT EMERGES. THE VOLUME OF DISSENT DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS GONE WRONG BUT ALSO ON THE FREEDOM WITH WHICH THE PEOPLE FEEL THEY CAN EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
+ANYONE WHO HAS FOLLOWED RECENT DEBATES IN THIS COUNCIL WILL BE IN NO DOUBT AS TO THE FREEDOM WITH WHICH DISSENT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN HONG KONG. THE MEANS ARE AVAILABLE AND, WHEN REQUIRED, THEY ARE USED. IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD CLEN PURSUING POLICIES WHICH WERE GENERALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THEN THE MAKE UP OF HONG KONG SOCIETY IS SUCH THAT IT WOULD HAVE PRODUCED CONTINUOUS TURMOIL. THIS WE HAVE NOT HAD. OUR
WHEN THEY HAVE DEVELOPED POLICIES HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED. UNACCEPTABLE TRENDS THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT OUT AND CORRECTED.
+NOW THIS SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT POLICIES HAS NOT HAPPENED BY ACCIDENT. IT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF RETAINING PUBLIC CONSENT IN SUCH AN OPEN SOCIETY. BUT PUBLIC CONSENT CANNOT BE RETAINED WITHOUT AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF PUBLIC OP IN ION ITSELF. THE GOVERNMENT HAS THEREFORE OVER THE YEARS DEVELOPED A WIDE RANGING AND SYSTEMATIC MECHANISM FOR MAINTAINING CLOSE AND CONSTANT TOUCH WITH OP INION. WITHOUT SUCH A MECHANISM IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO FRAME POLICIES TO MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS.
+THIS MECHANISM IS REQUIRED TO SERVE TWO DISTINCT PURPOSES. FIRST IT IS REQUIRED TO HELP IN FORECASTING OPINION ON POLICY OPTIONS - GREAT AND SMALL, SECOND IT IS REQUIRED TO ASSESS CURRENT OPINION ON THE IMPACT OF POLICIES ALREADY IN TRAIN.
/+THROUGHOUT THE
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