XN000022-1986-11-05 — Page 4

2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986

+WE SHALL CONTINUE TO SUCCEED ONLY SO LONG AS WE ARE WILLING TO RESOLVE THOSE CONFLICTS IN OUR EFFORTS TO SERVE THE WIDER INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY, SHE ADDED.

+ IN DOING SO THE PUBLIC MUST BEAR IN MIND THAT, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE NOT DELEGATES REQUIRED TO SPEAK AND VOTE AS DIRECTED BY THOSE THEY REPRESENT.

+EACH ONE OF US MUST BE PREPARED TO SAY, IF NECESSARY, TO THOSE TO WHOM WE OWE OUR PLACE IN THIS COUNCIL THAT WE CANNOT PURSUE A PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE COMMON GOOD, + SAID MISS DUNN.

SHE SAID CHANGES IN THE MAKE-UP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD NOT LED TO THE ABANDONMENT OF THE SEARCH FOR CONSENSUS. THOUGH PERHAPS THE RECENT DE BATE ON DAYA BAY HAD DIVERTED ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE COUNCIL'S SUCCESSES IN FINDING CONSENSUS ON MANY ISSUES AND IN GETTING COUNCIL BUSINESS DONE FROM WEEK TO WEEK.

MISS DUNN WAS CONFIDENT THAT ELECTED AND APPOINTED COLLEAGUES ALIKE WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER IN THE SAME SPIRIT AS IN THE LAST SESSION WHEN THEY HAMMERED OUT AGREEMENT ON THE AMENDED FORM OF MANY BILLS BEFORE PASSING THEM INTO LAW.

MISS DUNN NOTED THAT CONSENSUS ABOUT FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES HAD EXISTED IN HONG KONG FOR MANY YEARS. EVEN THEN, THERE HAD BEEN ISSUES FROM TIME TO TIME ON WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS SAW IT AS THEIR DUTY TO OPPOSE THE GOVERNMENT THAT HAD APPOINTED THEM TO THE COUNCIL.

IN THE OLD DAYS, SHE SAID, MEMBERS DID MOST OF THEIR PROTESTING IN PRIVATE WHILE AT PUBLIC COUNCIL MEETINGS THEY WERE HEARD TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS WHICH BY THEN HAD OFTEN BEEN MODIFIED TO MEET THEIR CRITICISMS.

+ IT WAS NEVER UNTHINKING ACQUIESCENCE; IT WAS A WILLING ACCEPTANCE OF THE OUTCOME OF PRACTICAL POLITICS, THE BEST THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED IN A REAL WORLD, MISS DUNN SAID.

DIRECT ELECTIONS IN THE INTERESTS OF ALL

*****

IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF ALL PEOPLE IN HONG KONG THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE INTRODUCED IN 1988, THE HON MARTIN LEE SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DURING THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS.

+FOR THE SOONER WE START THE TRULY DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. THE BETTER OUR CHANCES OF EVOLVING A SUCCESSFUL POLITICAL SYSTÉM FOR 50 YEARS BEYOND 1997, + HE SAID.

/MR LEE