XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 15

13

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1935

PEOPLE'S ROLE VITAL FOR SUCCESS

*****

-

PETER WONG

THE SUCCESS OF THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WOULD IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS BE LARGELY DEPENDENT UPON THE DEGREE OF ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AT ALL LEVELS, THE HON PETER C WONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.

A CONCERTED EFFORT MUST BE MADE FOR THE PEOPLE TO BE POSITIVELY INVOLVED NOT ONLY IN CIVIC AFFAIRS BUT ALSO IN ALL MATTERS CONCERNING THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

+ IN THIS WAY AND IN THIS WAY ALONE CAN OUR STABILITY AND PROSPERITY BE MAINTAINED, MR WONG SAID.

PARAGRAPH SIX OF THE WHITE PAPER CONTAINS WHAT HE CONSIDERED A KEY STATEMENT - THE RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, AND TO FRAME PLANS ACCORDINGLY.

→THE FACT IS: HONG KONG IS NOT HEADING FOR INDEPENDENCE BUT WILL BECOME A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF CHINA,+ HE SAID.

+AS LONG AS WE BEAR THIS IN MIND, WE SHOULD PROCEED AS PLANNED.

+THE PRESENT PROPOSALS, ALTHOUGH DEALING MAINLY WITH THIS YEAR'S ELECTION AND APPOINTMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, ARE NEVERTHELESS A REALISTIC AND PRACTICAL FRAMEWORK FOR CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DURING THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

+THEY REPRESENT A CAUTIOUS BUT SOLID STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPING A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT SUITED TO THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG - A STEP WHICK, I BELIEVE, MOST PEOPLE WOULD ENDORSE.

+SOME WOULD SAY THAT GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO RUSH THROUGH

AN IMPORTANT PACKAGE HURRIEDLY PUT TOGETHER.

£

+ON THE FACE OF IT. THERE MAY SEEM TO BE SOME JUSTIFICATION IN SUCH A STATEMENT, BUT THE FACT REMAINS THAT WE HAVE ONLY 12 YEARS TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE, + MR WONG SAID.

TIME WAS NOT REALLY ON OUR SIDE AND THE NEED TO ACT DECISIVELY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY WAS SELF-EVIDENT, HE ADDED.

HE CONCEDED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHITE PAPER WOULD NOT BE EASY, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

+MUCH HARD WORK AND CO-ORDINATION REMAINS TO BE DONE.

SINCE SO