XN000022-1987-11-04 — Page 41

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1987

ON ECONOMIC LINKS WITH CHINA, DR SOHMEN SAID IT REMAINED SURPRISING THAT THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED ITS REFUSAL ΤΟ TACKLE THE "VEXED QUESTION" OF VISITOR VISAS FOR EAST EUROPEAN AND HAD WAITED SO LONG FOR STUDIES TO BE COMMISSIONED INTO FURTHER AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS TO CATER FOR THE CHINA TRAFFIC, WAS UNWILLING TO CONSIDER A REDUCTION IN THE AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX AT LEAST FOR TRAVEL TO CHINA. AND ADHERED TO AN AVIATION POLICY WHICH DID NOT EN PRACTICE FACILITATE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW AIR SERVICES FROM HONG KONG.

ON CULTURAL LIFE, DR SOHMEN SAID MUCH HAD INNDEED BEEN ACHIEVED OVER THE PAST DECADE BUT REGRETTABLY THE LAST FEW YEARS RAD SEEN AN EMPHASIS PRIMARILY ON BUILDINGS RATHER THAN ON PEOPLE.

HE SAID THAT A RIGHT BALANCE SHOULD BE STRUCK BETWEEN EXPENDITURE INVOLVED IN BRINGING TO HONG KONG ARTISTS FROM OVERSEAS AGAINST FUNDS SPENT TO FURTHER ENCOURAGE LOCAL ARTISTS.

ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT, DR SOHMEN SAID THE PROPONENTS OF MORE ABRUPT CHANGE TO BE INTRODUCED NEXT YEAR HAD NOT REALLY MADE A GOOD CASE FOR THE NEED FOR URGENCY AND HE WAS NOT SURPRISED THAT THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY OFFICE CONFIRMED A DEFINITE PREFERENCE FOR A MORE GRADUAL APPROACH AND ONE THAT WOULD ТАКЕ INTO ACCOUNT THE REALITY OF THE FUTURE BASIC LAW.

"IT IS OF COURSE THE DRAFTING WORK ON THE BASIC LAW WHICH SHOULD OCCUPY OUR FULL INTEREST, NOT SO MUCH THE ARGUMENTS PRO AND CON DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988, BECAUSE IT 19 THE TOTALITY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE BAISIC LAW W111CH WILL DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS EXPERIMENT AND THE STATE OF THE TERRITORY DURING THE NEXT 60 YEARS.

J

HE SAID. THE GREEN PAPER DEBATE HAD AT BEST CREATED A DIVERSION AWAY FROM THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES, BUT MORE LIKELY PRODUCED COMPLICATIONS FOR THE DRAFTING PROCESS, WITH THE HONG KONG CONTINGENT OF DRAFTERS PRESENTING A PICTURE OF DISAGREEMENT AND LACK OF PURPOSE TO THE CHINESE SIDE OF WHAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE REALLY WANTED.

"THIS IS NOT HELPED BY THE ABSENCE OF CONSTITUTIONAL LEGAL EXPERTISE AMONG OUR EMINENT DRAFTING AND CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS MIRRORED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY AND HAS CLEARLY NOT HELPED TO RAISE THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL OF THE UNDERTAKING, HE SAID).

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HONG

ON THE COMPOSITION AND CONTINUED DEDICATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, DR SOUMEN SAID CIVIL SERVANTS IN

KONG WOULD INCREASINGLY REQUIRE MORE THAN FINANCIAL REWARDS OR GUARANTEED CAREERS PROSPECTS; THEY WOULD NEED TO HAVE CONFIDENCE DURING THE PERIOD UP TO 1997 AND BEYOND IN THE POLITICAL SUPPORT BY THE PEOPLE.

"WHILE INDIVIDUAL OR COLLECTIVE DISAGREEMENTS WITH TUF POLICY DECISIONS OF GOVERNMENT ARE AN ACCEPTABLE AND NECESSARY RESULT OF A FREE SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS SHOULD NOT BE UNDERMINED ALL OF A SUDDEN ON THE STRENGTH OF THE ARGUMENT THAT IT AN APPOINTED GOVERNMENT."

IS

THOSE INTENT