WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1984
+ THE FIRST PART OF THIS OPERATION WHICH FALLS TO THE GOVERNMENT IS TO PUT A DRAFT AGREEMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WITH A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF ITS IMPLICATIONS. THE AGREEMENT WILL DE PUBLISHED IN THE U.K. AS PART OF A WHITE PAPER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER IT HAS BEEN INITIALLED. THE AGREEMENT WILL BE PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY HERE. THE ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION WILL INCLUDE AN ACCOUNT OF THE BACKGROUND TO THE NEGOTIATIONS LEADING TO THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, AN EXPLANATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AND THE IR IMPLICATIONS. THE GOVERNOR WILL INTRODUCE IT TO THIS COUNCIL WITH A STATEMENT.
+THESE DOCUMENTS - THAT IS TEXT OF HMG'S WHITE PAPER, INCORPORATING THE AGREEMENT AND THE TEXT OF GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT WILL THEN BE VERY WIDELY DISTRIBUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT HERE. THIS COUNCIL WILL BE FREE TO DEBATE THE MATTER. THE PAPERS WILL BE SENT TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND TO DISTRICT BOARDS WITH AN INVITATION TO THEM TO MAKE THE IR VIEWS KNOWN. COPIES WILL BE SENT TO SELECTED REPRESENTATIVE BODIES INCLUDING TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS, PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC BODIES AND OTHER GROUPS AND ORGANISATIONS OF STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY WITH AN INVITATION TO COMMENT. IF ANY ORGANISATION IS MISSED OUT IT WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THE DOCUMENTS AT NUMEROUS OUTLETS. WE SHALL DO OUR BEST TO PUBLICISE THE TEXTS IN THE MEDIA - WHO HAVE ACTED VERY RESPONSIBLY IN THESE MATTERS IN THE PAST AND COPIES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN MANY GOVERNMENT OFFICES.
+WHEREVER THE GOVENMENT CAN IT WILL URGE PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS. NO DOUBT MANY VIEWS WILL ALSO BE EXPRESSED SPONTANEOUSLY THROUGH THE MEDIA. DURING THIS DEBATE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE BY MR CHAN YING LUN, MRS PAULINE NG AND MR YEUNG PO KWAN AS TO HOW THE EXPRESSION OF VIEWS CAN BE STIMULATED. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THESE PROPOSALS. RATHER THAN MAKE IMMEDIATE COMMENTS I SHALL UNDERTAKE THAT THEY WILL BE EXAMINED CLOSELY DURING OUR DETAILED PLANNING.
+ | TURN NOW TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WHICH WILL OPERATE ENTIRELY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT AND ITS ORGANISATION. WHEREAS THE GOVERNMENT MACHINE WILL BE ACTIVE, TRANSMITTING INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC AND STIMULATING COMMENT AND DISCUSSION, THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WILL BE PASSIVE, ACTING AS A RECEIVER FOR THE VIEWS THAT WILL EMERGE, ITS PRIME FUNCTION WILL BE TO RECEIVE AND ANALYSE ALL EXPRESSIONS OF VIEWS UPON THE INITIALLED AGREEMENT. IT WILL TAKE NOTE OF THE VIEWS OF THE MEDIA. IT WILL TAKE NOTE OF THE VIEWS OF ANY ORGANISATION OR INDIVIDUAL THAT WRITES TO IT. IT WILL TAKE NOTE OF ANY VIEWS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT MAY RECEIVE THROUGH ITS ORDINARY PROCESSES OF CONSULTATION AND WHICH ARE HANDED OVER TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE. IT WILL TAKE NOTE OF ANY SURVEYS OF OPINION THAT MAY BE COMMISSIONED IN HONG KONG BY ANY INDEPENDENT ORGANISATION. ITS JOB WILL BE TO COLLATE, SUMMARISE, ANALYSE AND ASSESS ALL THOSE VIEWS. BUT IT WILL NOT REACH OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO OBTAIN OR SOLICIT THEM. ITS EARS AND ITS EYES WILL BE OPEN TO ALL VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE COMMUNITY.
/+THE ASSESSMENT
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