XN000022-1985-11-27 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985

THE COMMITTEE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT A STANDING CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ON YOUTH BE CONSTITUTED TO CO-ORDINATE ALL TERRITORY-WIDE YOUTH ACTIVITIES IN RECREATION AND CULTURE- AS WELL AS TO ADVISE GOVERNMENT ON MAJOR POLICY ISSUES FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE YOUNG, SHE SAID.

MRS CHOW FELT THAT SUCH A COMMITTEE WITH OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL PARTICIPATION WHICH MUST INCLUDE YOUNG PEOPLE, WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE MUCH GOOD WORK THAT HAD STARTED THIS YEAR.

ONE OF THE COMMITTEE'S PRIORITIES COULD BE TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF A SO-CALLED YOUTH POLICY, IN ANSWER TO CALLS MADE BY A NUMBER OF EXPERTS ON YOUTH MATTERS, SHE SAID.

RIGHT PACE FOR PROGRESS OF POLITICAL REFORMS

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HONG KONG'S PROGRESS TOWARDS POLITICAL REFORMS NEEDS TO BE PACED RIGHT SO AS TO ENHANCE SOCIAL STABILITY, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE, AND TO AVOID ECONOMIC CHAOS AT ALL COSTS, THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT DAY ONE OF THE POLICY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID WE HAD TO PRAGMATICALLY MOVE FORWARD IN BUILDING UP OUR OWN STYLE OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT FOR 1997.

+BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, HONG KONG SHOULD BE INCREASINGLY ALIGNING ITSELF TO CHINA'S OPEN-DOOR POLICY, MODERNISATION DRIVE, SOCIALIST CULTURE AND CHINESE-STYLE RULE OF LAW, WHILE STILL RETAINING OUR OWN SYSTEMS UNDER THE ONE COUNTRY-TWO SYSTEMS' PRINCIPLE, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID.

HE SAID HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS TO THE LONG-TERM INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO HAVE A BALANCED PROPORTION OF INDIRECTLY AND DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SEATS BY THE 1988 ELECTIONS.

+ I URGE THAT LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS EXPRESS THE IR VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT AND ALSO IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES EXERT THE IR BEST EFFORTS TO PERSUADE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ACCEPT THE PRINCIPLE OF DIRECT ELECTION FOR A PROPORTION OF THE SEATS OF THIS COUNCIL, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT HONG KONG NEEDED PEOPLE WITH THE WILL DEDICATION AND VISION TO COMBINE INTO A UNITED AND EFFECTIVE LOCAL LEADERSHIP TO STEP-BY-STEP TAKE OVER THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNDER BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY BY 1997.

/HE FURTHER