XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985

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FRANCIS TIEN WARNS OF DEMOCRACY GONE WRONG

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DEMOCRACY GONE WRONG WAS A DIRE DANGER, THE HON FRANCIS TIEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+PUT GRAPHICALLY, IT IS SOMETHING LIKE THE ART OF RUNNING THE CIRCUS FROM THE MONKEY CAGE, HE SAID, ON THE FIRST DAY OF DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

DEMOCRACY GONE WRONG WAS DEFINED AS A SYSTEM IN WHICH THE WHOLE WAS EQUAL TO THE SUM OF THE PARTS, HE SAID.

+ IF A MAJORITY TELLS US THAT TWO PLUS TWO EQUALS FIVE- OR IF IT SEEKS TO SPEND MONEY WHICH IT DOES NOT POSSESS, THEN WE ARE CLOSE NOT TO DEMOCRACY, BUT TO DICTATORSHIP.

+MR TIEN SAID HE WAS NO CYNIC, BUT WAS AN ADVOCATE OF BALANCED DEVELOPMENT.

+ I DO BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE A FUTURE FULL OF HOPE AND DEVELOPMENT.

+BUT A WELL THOUGHT OUT FUTURE MUST BE A MEASURED FUTURE BALANCED FUTURE.

+CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, BUT CONTINUITY IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT,+ HE SAID.

MR TIEN SAID TO INNOVATE WAS NOT ALWAYS TO REFORM.

+ INDEED CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING INFORMED US THAT WE HAVE

A NEED TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, HE SAID.

+DRASTIC CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IS RULED OUT BY COMMON SENSE AS WELL AS A NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT GET TOO FAR OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH REALITY.+

HE SAID THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAFTING CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO SIREN VOICES, EXPRESSED LOCALLY OR ABROAD, WHICH THREATENED HONG KONG'S STABILITY.

+AT ALL COSTS, WE MUST NOT BE DRIVEN HELTER-SKELTER TOWARDS ILL-CONSIDERED ACTION, HE SAID.

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