XN000022-1986-10-09 — Page 2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1986

OPPORTUNITIES EXIST FOR EXPRESSING OPINIONS

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THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EXPRESSION OF OPINIONS IN HONG KONG, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YESTERDAY, SIR DAVID SAID HE DID NOT THINK THE GOVERNOR HAD SAID THERE SHOULD NOT BE DISSENTING VIEWS.

+I DON'T THINK HE RULED OUT PEOPLE HAVING DISSENTING VIEWS, BUT IN THE END CONSENSUS MUST BE FOUND AND WE MUST GO FORWARD, + HE TOLD REPORTERS AFTER A TOUR OF SOUTHERN DISTRICT.

SIR DAVID SAID THAT THERE WAS A HIGHLY DEVELOPED SYSTEM OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN HONG KONG, WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS BETTER THAN IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.

+ AND THERE ARE VERY FEW PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT HAVE AN INSTITUTION LIKE THE DISTRICT BOARDS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE IN LOCAL DISTRICTS YOU CAN DISCUSS MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE TO THE PLACE AS A WHOLE.

+SO I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY SHORTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES IN HONG KONG TO SAY WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND AND TO WRITE WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND AS WE CAN ALL SEE THIS AFTERNOON.+

ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD SOFTENED ITS STAND ON POLITICAL REFORM AS THERE WERE COMPARATIVELY LITTLE MENTION ON POLITICAL REVIEW IN THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH, SIR DAVID SAID: +NO, I THINK

GET YOU'LL SEE THAT THE LAST WHITE PAPER IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT OUT AND READ IT AGAIN IT SETS THE GROUND FOR THE NEXT REVIEW THAT WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR.

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+ THE GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY SAID A LOT ABOUT THAT REVIEW THAT IT WILL BE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW, THAT IT WILL BE A MEANINGFUL REVIEW, AND I THINK THERE IS VERY LITTLE MORE THAT HE COULD SAY YESTERDAY UNTIL THAT REVIEW IS PUBLISHED, AND THEN PEOPLE HAVE TO COMMENT.+

SIR DAVID SAID THE COMPOSITION OF AND THE ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE PART OF THE REVIEW.

HE SAID HE THOUGHT MORE MENTION WAS MADE OF THE REVIEW IN LAST YEAR'S POLICY SPEECH BECAUSE THE ELECTIONS HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED THEN AND THAT THERE WAS SOME DOUBT IN PEOPLE'S MINDS ABOUT THE REVIEW ITSELF, AND SO IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE IT CLEAR LAST YEAR WHAT SORT OF A REVIEW IT WOULD BE.

/+NOW THE