XN000022-1985-01-10 — Page 9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1985

+AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WISH TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SEE THEMSELVES AS OWING ANY SPECIAL ALLEGIANCE TO THE CROWN FROM BECOMING MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, AND IS CONSIDER ING AN OPTIONAL ALTERNATIVE FORM OF OATH FOR MEMBERS. TAKING THE IR SEATS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, MR THOMAS SAID.

HE SAID THAT DR HO HAD ALSO FELT THAT MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE (CPPCC) SHOULD NOT BE BARRED FROM BEING MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS OR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

ON THIS POINT, MR THOMAS SAID THAT A CPPCC MEMBER HERE HAD RECENTLY SUBMITTED A CANDIDATURE FOR THE FORTHCOMING DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.

+ I UNDERSTAND THAT HIS NOMINATION HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE RETURNING OFFICER AND THE GOVERNMENT SEES NO BAR TO THAT CANDIDATURE, HE SAID.

HE HOPED THE BILL TO IMPLEMENT THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSALS WOULD BE READY FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL NEXT MONTH (FEBRUARY).

HE DESCRIBED THIS BILL AS THE FIRST MILESTONE FOR HONG KONG+ IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

+WHEN ENACTED, IT WILL OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LAW AND POLICY IN THIS TERRITORY AND TO CALL TO ACCOUNT THOSE WHO PRESENTLY ADMINISTER IT.

+ I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND WILL ENTHUSIASTICALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW ELECTORAL PROCESSES,+ MR THOMAS SAID.

DOUBTS ABOUT DIRECTLY-ELECTED LEGCO

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SERIOUS DOUBTS ON WHETHER THE FUTURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE TERRITORY COULD BE MAINTAINED SIMPLY BY HAVING A TOTALLY DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE HERE BEFORE 1997 WERE EXPRESSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG.

SPEAK ING DURING THE FINAL DAY OF THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER, MR CHEONG SAID IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT THERE HAD BEEN +A CONCERTED EFFORT BY A RELATIVE FEW TO PUSH AND HARD SELL+ TO THE PUBLIC THE IDEA THAT TOTAL DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG WAS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE LEADING UP TO 1997.

THE ADMINISTRATION