XN000022-1987-07-15 — Page 28

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1987

"NOW WE ALREADY HAVE

INDEPENDENT

CONVERGE TO THE FINAL ADJUDICATION.

JUDICIAL POWER BUT JUST

"NOW WE HAVE A LEGISLATURE WITH LEGISLATIVE POWER AND HAVE TO CONVERGE TO CONSTITUTION BY ELECTION.

WE JUST

"NOW WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES BOTH ABIDE BY THE LAW AND WE SHALL CONVERGE INTO THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES WHICH SHALL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE.

*

MR CHAN SAID THE JOINT DECLARATION ALSO STATED THAT THE SOCIALIST SYSTEM AND SOCIALIST POLICIES SHOULD NOT BE PRACTISED IN THE SAR AND THAT HONG KONG'S PREVIOUS CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND LIFE-STYLE SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR 50 YEARS AFTER 1997.

"AS WE ARE PRACTISING THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND THE CAPITALIST

WAY OF ELECTION IS THEREFORE IN ORDER," HE SAID.

"TO THOSE WHO SAID THAT HONG KONG IS NOT A STATE AND CANNOT HAVE DIRECT ELECTION, I JUST FAIL TO SEE WHAT AUTHORITATIVE REFERENCE THEY MAY QUOTE FROM.

"IN THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM, DIRECT ELECTION MAY BE USED TO VOTE MAYORS, GOVERNORS OR HEADS OF STATE INTO OFFICE.'

H

WAS FREEDOM

MR CHAN SAID THE ESSENCE OF A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION OF CHOICE. "IT PROVIDES EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE AS VOTERS AND AS CANDIDATES.

"THERE IS NO FAIRER SYSTEM THAN UNIVERSAL FRANCHISE AND DIRECT ELECTION. DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE USED IN MANY POWERFUL AND PROSPEROUS COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES," HE SAID.

"I CONSIDER THAT THE TIME IS RIPE TO HAVE DIRECT ELECTION. IT IS NOW OR NEVER.

"THERE SHOULD BE ONE SEAT EACH FROM THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE 19 DISTRICT BOARDS IN 1988. WITHOUT INCREASING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE, SOME SEATS MAY BE CREATED BY REDUCING NUMBER OF APPOINTED AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO OCCUPY SEATS IN EXCO AND LEGCO."

HERE TO

ON APPOINTED MEMBERS IN LEGCO, MR CHAN SAID: "WE ARE SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND TO HAND OVER OUR EXPERIENCE ΤΟ THE ELECTED MEMBERS AND WHEN THE TIME IS RIPE, WE JUST BOW AND LEAVE WITH A SMILE ON OUR FACE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.

"FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT AGREE, I SHALL REFER THEM TO

'THE EVIL THAT MEN DO LIVES AFTER THEM, SO LET IT BE WITH THE

SHAKESPEARE'S JULIUS CAESAR

THE GOOD IS OFT INTERRED WITH THEIR BONES' APPOINTED MEMBERS, HE ADDED.

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