XN000022-1985-01-10 — Page 13

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1985

+SINCE HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN THE YEARS TO COME WILL DEPEND LARGELY ON THE SUCCESS OF ITS BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL SECTORS AND ITS PRESENT POSITION AS THE THIRD GREATEST FINANCIAL CENTRE IN THE WORLD IS DUE TO THE RESPECT AND REPUTATION

IT HAS ACQUIRED OVER THE YEARS FOR SOUND AND TRUSTWORTHY ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING, ITS SUCCESS OWES MUCH TO THESE PROFESSIONALS.

+THIS SHOULD BE SUITABLY ACKNOWLEDGED AND THE FUTURE GOOD REPUTATION OF THIS TERRITORY BE MAINTAINED BY GIVING THEM AND THE IR EXPERTISE DUE WEIGHT IN THE NEW COUNCIL.+

MR CHEUNG SAID THAT THOUGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE INCLUSION F OTHER IMPORTANT GROUPS IN HONG KONG WHICH WERE EQUALLY WORTHY OF REPRESENTATION OR HOW PROPOSED GROUPS MIGHT BE MORE EQUITABLY

REPRESENTED.

+WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER THAT ALL REGISTERED PROFESSIONALS IN THE NOMINATED PROFESSIONS SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL RIGHT TO VOTE?+ HE ASKED.

+ARE THERE, PERHAPS, OTHER IMPORTANT GROUPS IN HONG KONG THAT MAY BE WORTHY OF INCLUSION? SHOULD, FOR EXAMPLE, THE VERY FLOURISHING TOURIST TRADE NOT HAVE A SEPARATE REPRESENTATION?

+WOULD, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NURSES HAVE A MORE DEDICATED CONCERN FOR HONG KONG AND ITS FUTURE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER PROFESSIONAL GROUPS WHOSE MEMBERS CAN MORE EASILY SETTLE DOWN ELSEWHERE?

+WOULD THEY NOT EVEN SERVE TO REDRESS SOMEWHAT THE LIKELY MALE PREDOMINANCE OF THIS PROPOSED COUNCIL?

+SUCH QUESTIONS AND MANY OTHERS MUST BE ADDRESSED AND ANSWERED IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE SO THAT HONG KONG MAY SECURE THE VERY BEST REPRESENTATIVES TO GUIDE ITS FUTURE DESTINY, HE SAID.

LEGCO MEMBERS REMINDED OF OBLIGATION TO PERFORM

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ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN THE YEARS TO COME HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO PERFORM THE IR DUTIES UNDER THE CONTENTS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE HON MARIA TAM SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

SPEAKING ON THE WHITE PAPER, MISS TAM SAID THOSE WHO ASPIRED TO BE OR WHO WERE IN GOVERNMENT MUST BE TOTALLY AWARE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WHICH SHE LISTED OUT IN DETAIL:

* BOTH CHINA AND BRITAIN WISH TO MAINTAIN

THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG;

THE UK ...ATTA