XN000022-1988-03-16 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988

THE CURRENT DEBATE SHOULD BE SERN MAINLY AS ONE BETWEEN PRAGMATISTS AND IDEALISTS, AND SOME OF ITS CONFRONTATIONAL CHARACTER MIGHT BE DEFUSED IF THE OTHER LABELS WERE DROPPED, DR SOHMEN SUGGESTED.

HE SAID THAT SINCE THE MAJORITY VIEW HAD EXPRESSED ITSELF IN FAVOUR OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, HE NATURALLY ACCEPTED THIS VERDICT.

"BUT PUBLIC OPINION WAS NOT AT ALL DEFINITE ABOUT THE TIMING OF DIRECT ELECTIONS AFTER 1988, AND CLEARLY NOT FULLY CONVERSANT WITH THE POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS IN THE CREATION OF A CONFRONTATIONAL STYLE OF GOVERNMENT IN A SMALL AND SO FAR VERY COHESIVE COMMUNITY THAT HAS PROSPERED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF CONSENSUS, HE SAID.

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DR SOHMEN ALSO QUESTIONED THE LOGIC OR THE ATTRACTION HAVING "PARTIAL" DIRECT ELECTIONS, CREATING AN IMPOTENT MINORITY LEGISLATORS BUT WHO WERE PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE ELECTORATE LARGE, IF ULTIMATELY ALL LEGISLATORS HAD TO BE ELECTED ANYWAY TO SATISFY THE JOINT DECLARATION.

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HE CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT FOR NOT MAKING ANY REAL EFFORT ΤΟ ANALYSE THE PROS AND CONS AND TO PRESENT A PROGRESSIVELY EXPANDING SYSTEM OF INDIRECT ELECTIONS AS AN ADDITIONAL OPTION FOR PUBLIC CONSIDERATION.

THE EXPRESSED PUBLIC PREFERENCE FOR HAVING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN ADDITION TO, RATHER THAN INSTEAD OF, INDIRECT ELECTIONS BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WAS ALSO SIMPLY IGNORED IN THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSALS.

BY JUST REACTING TO THE CONCENTRATED PRESSURE ON A SINGLE ISSUE, HE BELIEVED THE GOVERNMENT HAD LET ITSELF BE PUSHED UNNECESSARILY TOWARDS A DEADLINE COMMITMENT AND HAD MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACT MORE DELIBERATELY, CREATIVELY, AND DECISIVELY.

"AT SOME RISK TO IT'S CREDIBILITY, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS FOREGONE THE CHANCE ΤΟ DESIGN A COMPREHENSIVE AND INHERENTLY CONSISTENT PLAN FOR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT BASED ON THE CONSULTATIVE SYSTEM, AND ONE THAT WOULD BE BOTH PRACTICAL AND TRULY SUITED TO HONG KONG'S UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT, IN FAVOUR

OF JUST ANOTHER SHORT-TERM AND IMPRACTICAL EXPEDIENT," DR SOHMEN SAID.

THE RESULT WAS NOT GREATER CERTAINTY AS TO WHERE HONG KONG WAS HEADING BUT ADDED CONFUSION AND CONTINUED DISSATISFACTION ACROSS THE WHOLE DOMESTIC POLITICAL SPECTRUM, HE SAID.

HE HOPED THAT THE BASIC LAW WOULD PRODUCE MORE DEFINITE PLANS AND CLEARER SIGNPOSTS FOR THE FUTURE.

/DR SCHMEN