XN000022-1987-06-03 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1987

SHE SAID MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PUT THEIR FAITH IN THE WISDOM AND GOOD CONSCIENCE OF THE COMMUNITY.

+ IT MAY BE THAT ONLY A FEW CAN BE ARTICULATE ADVOCATES. BUT EVERYONE CAN BE A JUDGE OF WHERE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY LIE, SHE SAID.

SHE SAID LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WERE OF ONE MIND IN URGING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE GREEN PAPER OPTIONS BY SENDING THEM TO THE SURVEY OFFICE.

SHE RECALLED THAT THE CHIEF SECRETARY, WHEN TABLING THE GREEN PAPER LAST WEEK, HAD EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE GOVERNMENT PLACED ON OBTAINING THE WIDEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER. HE HAD ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO ENCOURAGE A RESPONSE FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION WHO WERE SILENT.

+I SPEAK FOR ALL MY FELLOW MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION IN GIVING OUR FULL SUPPORT то THE GOVERNMENT'S ENDEAVOURS,+ SHE SAID.

SHE SAID THERE WERE GOOD REASONS FOR THE PUBLIC ΤΟ SPEAK THE OPTIONS CONTAINED IN THE GREEN PAPER DID MATTER BECAUSE IDENTIFIED THE CHOICES TO BE MADE IN SHAPING THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT.

SHE SAID CHANGES TO THE INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT COULD BE INTRODUCED WITHOUT CONSULTING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

+BUT IT IS NOT ONLY OUR RIGHT TO SAY WHAT WE THINK, IT IS OUR DUTY TO DO SO IF WE CARE FOR HONG KONG, SHE ADDED.

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SHE SAID THAT FOR MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AS ELSEWHERE THERE WAS QUITE ENOUGH TO DO AND TO THINK ABOUT MAKING A LIVING AND SUPPORTING A FAMILY. THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF GOVERNMENT WAS SEEN AS SOMETHING TOO ABSTRACT, AND IRRELEVANT TO THE DAILY LIVES TO BE MUCH CONCERN.

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AS PEOPLE LOOKED AROUND AT THE UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS OF PROSPERITY AND MATERIAL PROGRESS, SOME MIGHT THINK THAT THIS ATTITUDE HAD NOT DONE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ANY HARM.

BUT IT WAS NOW NO LONGER RIGHT FOR THOSE WHO CARED FOR HONG KONG TO REMAIN INDIFFERENT.

+AS WE EMBARK UPON THIS IMPORTANT CONSULTATION EXERCISE, WHICH POINTS OUT POSSIBLE WAYS FORWARD TOWARDS A MORE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT MUST KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY, A9 A WHOLE, WANTS,

/+IT NEEDS