XN000022-1987-06-03 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1987

PUBLIC VIEWS FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN WHITE PAPER

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN THE WHITE PAPER WAS PUBLISHED EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD BE ABLE TO JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAD FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THEIR VIEWS IN DECIDING ON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF A MOTION BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN THAT THE COUNCIL URGES THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE OPTIONS CONTAINED IN THE GREEN PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT BY SENDING THEM TO THE SURVEY OFFICE, MR FORD SAID:

+I TRUST THAT THERE IS NOW NO DOUBT IN THE MINDS OF THE PUBLIC AS TO GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO A GENUINE AND OPEN REVIEW OR TO OUR SINCERITY IN WISHING TO OBTAIN THE WIDEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER.

+I WOULD LIKE TO ENDORSE MOST STRONGLY MISS DUNN'S CALL FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO THE GREEN PAPER BY SENDING THEIR VIEWS TO THE SURVEY OFFICE.

+I REALISE THAT THE GREEN PAPER IS A LENGTHY DOCUMENT DEALING WITH COMPLEX ISSUES, AND THAT THE TASK OF DIGESTING ITS CONTENTS AND FORMING VIEWS ON THE OPTIONS PRESENTED IS NOT AN EASY ONE.

HOW

+ BUT THEY ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG, AND IT IS INCUMBENT UPON ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER THESE ISSUES CAREFULLY, FORM THEIR OWN JUDGMENT ABOUT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR SYSTEMS OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT DEVELOP AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN, HE STRESSED.

TO

MR FORD NOTED THAT THE CALL FOR THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY то SPEAK OUT HAD COME FROM PEOPLE WITH WIDELY DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW AND HAD BEEN TAKEN UP STRONGLY AND COMMENDABLY BY THE MEDIA.

+WE ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE GREEN PAPER THERE IS MUCH LESS SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA THAT THIS CONSULTATIVE EXERCISE IS A WASTE OF TIME BECAUSE THE VIEWS EXPRESSED WILL HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON DECISIONS EVENTUALLY TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT,+ HE SAID.

PAPER

+30 THE FACT IS THAT THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THE GREEN WILL BE FULLY AND FAIRLY REFLECTED IN THE REPORT OF THE SURVEY OFFICE, THAT REPORT WILL BE PUBLISHED; IT WILL BE OPEN TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND ITS CONTENTS FULLY DEBATED IN THIS COUNCIL. +

MR FORD STRESSED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS THE INDEPENDENT SURVEY OFFICE, WAS DOING ALL IT COULD TO ENCOURAGE THE WIDEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER.

HE SAID A MAJOR EFFORT HAD BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE GREEN PAPER WAS READILY AVAILABLE IN ALL PARTS OF THE TERRITORY.

MORE THAN