XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 9

+

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985

+THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED AFTER AN INTERVAL BY THE NORMAL PROCESS OF PUBLIC DEBATE IN BOTH HOUSES, AND THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REPRESENTATIONS TO BE MADE BY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG IF THEY SO WISH.

+ANY SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION WOULD, IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL PROCEDURE, ALSO BE SUBJECT TO PARLIAMENTARY AND PUBLIC SCRUTINY.

+FOR OUR PART, GIVEN THAT THE BILL WILL BE CONCERNED WITH THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL NATURALLY ENSURE THAT THE CONTENTS OF THE BILL, ONCE PUBLISHED IN THE UK, ARE MADE WIDELY KNOWN HERE,+ SIR PHILIP SAID.

VOTING RIGHT FOR EVERY REGISTERED DOCTOR HARRY FANG

*****

ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION IN THE MEDICAL CONSTITUENCY SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG MEDICAL ASSOCIATION NOR CONFINED TO REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE PROFESSION, DR THE HON HARRY FANG SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, DR FANG SUGGESTED THAT ALL PRACTITIONERS WHOSE NAMES APPEARED ON THE HONG KONG MEDICAL REGISTER SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO NOMINATE CANDIDATES, STAND FOR ELECTION AND VOTE.

+1 BELIEVE THAT THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD WHERE PRACTICABLE ELECT THE IR CANDIDATES TO LEGCO DIRECTLY AND IN THIS CASE THE MEDICAL CONSTITUENCY, WHICH IS PERHAPS THE MOST HOMOGENEOUS GROUP, IS PARTICULARLY WELL PLACED TO TEST THE DIRECT ELECTION CONCEPT AND SHOULD DO SO, HE SAID.

ON THE WHOLE, DR FANG SAID, THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY CONCEPT WAS AN IMPORTANT INTERIM MEASURE, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS HONG KONG HAD A MUCH LARGER LEGISLATURE WITH WIDER REPRESENTATION TO ENABLE CANDIDATES FROM SMALL BUT VITAL PROFESSIONS, SUCH AS LAW, BANK ING, ACCOUNTANCY AND MEDICINE TO BE ELECTED BY POPULAR VOTE FROM GENERAL CONSTITUENCIES.

+ THE EXPERTISE AND PROFESSIONALISM OF COUNCILLORS FROM THESE FIELDS ARE ESSENTIAL, IN MY VIEW, TO THE EFFICIENT AND PROGRESSIVE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, HE SAID.

18