XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985

HE SAID THAT THE HONG KONG APPOINTMENT SYSTEM WAS BASED ON THE SELECTION OF SUCCESSFUL PERSONS FROM A CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY.

MANY HAD DONE YEARS OF WORK ON HUNDREDS OF ADVISORY BOARDS AND COUNCILS BEFORE THEIR APPOINTMENT INTO THE COUNCIL.

THIS VOLUNTARY SERVICE DEMANDED MANY WORKING HOURS TO DIGEST ANJ ANALYSE THE DAILY PILE OF GOVERNMENT PAPERS BEFORE ATTENDING THE VARIOUS MEETINGS.

THIS MEANT A SACRIFICE OF THE IR BUSINESS AND FAMILY LIFE, BUT THIS WAS OFTEN PURPOSELY IGNORED BY PEOPLE WHO WISHED TO UNDERMINE COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THEIR POWER STRUGGLE.

* IT IS THEREFORE WISE, SAID MR CHAN +TO RETAIN SOME OF THESE APPOINTED UNOFFICIALS SO THAT THEY MAY GRADUALLY PASS THE IR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO THEIR NEW COLLEAGUES BEFORE COMPLETELY BOWING OUT.

+OF COURSE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT AGREE AND BELIEVE THESE UNOFFICIALS HAVE NOT DONE ONE BIT OF GOOD AND SHOULD BE GOT RID OF LIKE WEEDS IMMEDIATELY. ✦

SPEAKING ON GRASSROOTS AND FUTURE LEADERS, MR CHAN SAID THERE WAS A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE TERM GRASSROOTS WHICH WAS NOT A CHINESE TERM. ACCORDING TO THE CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY IT MEANT THE VOTERS THEMSELVES.

+SOME PEOPLE HAVE THE WRONG CONCEPT THAT THE POORER THE PERSON THE MORE 'GRASSROOT' HE IS, SAID MR CHAN.

+ IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN BEGGARS AND THE LIKE SHOULD BE ELECTED INTO THIS COUNCIL.

WHAT VOTERS SHOULD ELECT ARE PEOPLE WITH STRONG LEADERSHIP, FORESIGHT, KNOWLEDGE OF PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SENSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND TO WITHSTAND POLITICAL PRESSURES IN THE YEARS TO COME.+

MR CHAN SAID THAT CIVIC EDUCATION ALONE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO SAFEGUARD OUR FREEDOM.

+LEGISLATION SHOULD BE MADE FOR COMPULSORY REGISTRATION AND VOTING BY EVERYONE ELIGIBLE AS FULL PARTICIPATION IS THE BEGINNING OF CIVIC EDUCATION, +

MR CHAN ALSO CALLED FOR AN ANNUAL REVIEW TO ADJUST THE COURSE OR ACCELERATE OR DECELERATE THE PROGRAMME WHICH HE SAID WAS A PRUDENT MOVE.

IF A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM WAS ADOPTED, HE SAID, THE MINISTERS SHOULD ONLY BE CHOSEN FROM THE ELECTED MEMBERS AND NOT FROM THE

OINTED UNOFFICIALS AS THEY WERE ADVISER TO THE GOVERNOR

SHOULD NOT SEEK POWER OR AUTHORITY.

A

*

/HE SAID