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THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1987

HE ADDED THAT ON THE CONTRARY, THEY WENT ABOUT SUBJECTIVELY POINTING OUT THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM BY VIRTUE OF A COUPLE OF SPECIOUS EXAMPLES. THEY DID SO IN A BIASED AND WILFUL MANNER WITH A VIEW TO ILLUSTRATING THAT THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION WAS A LAME DUCK GOVERNMENT.

"THEY CALL FOR IMMEDIATE DIRECT ELECTIONS BY MEANS OF FAR-FETCHED REASONS WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD TO THE IMPACT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS ON OUR SOCIETY, ECONOMY AND THE INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE," НЕ SAID.

MR NGAI WENT ON TO SAY THAT

THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG '9 POLITICAL SYSTEM WAS A LONG-TERM AFFAIR AND PEOPLE SHOULD NOT THEIR ATTENTION ONLY ON THE QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS.

FOCUS

"FOR THE SAKE OF OUR LONG-TERM INTERESTS WE SHOULD WIDRN OUR VIEW INSTEAD AND DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO THE SMOOTH CONVERGENCE OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM WITH THE BASIC LAW WITHOUT CAUSING ANY SOCIAL TURMOIL," HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT AFTER 1997 THE BASIC LAW, WHICH WOULD BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, WOULD FORM THE BASIS OF THE RULE OF LAW. IN OTHER WORDS, THE BASIC LAW

BECOME HONG KONG'S FUTURE CONSTITUTION ON WHICH ITS FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM WOULD BE BASED.

"SINCE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ATTACH 30 MUCH IMPORTANCE ΤΟ THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW AND OUR FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM, WILL BE A CONTINUATION OF THE PRESENT, IT FOLLOWS THAT ANY POLITICAL REFORM SHOULD CONVERGE WITH THE BASIC LAW," HE SAID.

MR NGAI ALSO SAID HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF THE OPTION THAT NO CHANGE SHOULD BE MADE IN THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

"BUT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN ΤΟ INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SEATS FOR THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, INCLUDING IN PARTICULAR ONE SEAT FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TERTIARY EDUCATION FIELD IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF TERTIARY EDUCATION.

HE ADDED THAT THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS RETURNED BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED. REGARDING THE PRESIDENCY OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HR AGREED THAT THE PRESENT SITUATION SHOULD BE MAINTAINED, THAT WAS, THAT THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE ALSO ENDORSED THE VIEW IN THE GREEN PAPER THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE GOVERNOR WAS SYMBOLIC OF THE STATUS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

то AND ADDED

THE DIGNITY OF ITS PROCEEDINGS. THE GOVERNOR, AB PRESIDENT OF BOTH THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, PROVIDED A SYMBOLIC LINK BETWEEN THE TWO COUNCILS, HE ADDED.

/"SINCE THE

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