XN000022-1989-06-01 — Page 16

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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1989

TURNING TO THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, MR TIEN EMPHASISED THAT IN SEARCHING FOR THE BEST FORM OF CHANGE, PEOPLE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THE NEED FOR CONTINUITY.

"IF WE IGNORE CONTINUITY, WE CAN RAPIDLY FLOUNDER IN UNTRIED AND UNCHARTERED WATERS, TOO RAPID A MOVE TOWARDS UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE CAN BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE," HE SAID.

HONG WHILE HE AGREED THAT

KONG WAS DESTINED EVENTUALLY EMBRACE A ONE-MAN-ONE-VOTE POLITICAL SYSTEM, HE BELIEVED THAT IT PROGRESS TOWARDS THIS GOAL IN AN ORDERLY FASHION.

ΤΟ MUST

MR TIEN ENVISAGED A GRADUAL, BUT NOT UNDULY PROTRACTED. MOVE UPON A TOWARDS GREATER REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, BASED SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE AND CONSENSUS.

H

THE HE

"I RELUCTANTLY SUPPORT THE OMELCO LINE OF THINKING WHICH SAW THE YEAR 2003 AS THE EARLIEST ACCEPTABLE YEAR FOR THE ELECTION OF

BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND ALL OUR LEGISLATURE

SUFFRAGE,

SAID.

L

UNIVERSAL

MEMBERS

ELECTED BY PHASED OUT ALTOGETHER, WE WITH CONTINUITY,

THE RANKS OF THE DIRECTLY

HE HOPED THAT BY 2003 THE YEAR IN WHICH THEIR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WOULD BE WOULD BE ABLE ΤΟ BUILD UPON SOME LEGISLATORS TRANSFERRING BY ELECTION TO ELECTED.

INCUMBENT

THEIR ADVICE AND ACTED AS A CIVIL SERVICE IN

WITH MEMBERS, MR TIEN SAID THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY

OFFERED THE LEGISLATURE UNRIVALLED EXPERTISE, NOT ONLY

WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES BUT AL90 CONSULTATION ON A

MIGHT OF THE COUNTER-WEIGHT TO THE BUREAUCRATIC AREAS OF SPECIALISATION AND EXPERTISE.

"AFTER ALL, THEY

WILL HAVE

HAD BY THEN SOME EIGHT YEARS THEY WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH THE AS INCUMBENT MEMBERS, THEY WILL BE

(1995-2003) TO SHOW THEIR METTLE. DAILY BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL. WELL-KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC.

FOR HONG

"SURELY, IT MUST BE FOR THE GOOD OF THIS COUNCIL AND KONG THAT THE ELECTORATE SHOULD SEE THE GOOD SENSE OF RETURNING TRIED, TESTED AND SUCCESSFUL INCUMBENTS," HE REMARKED.

MR TIEN FURTHER FELT THAT NOT ENOUGH WAS SAID IN THE BASIC DRAFT ABOUT THE IMPORTANT IDEA OF HOW TO REMOVE TOMORROW'S RULERS, NECESSARY.

"POWER, AFTER ALL CORRUPTS, ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS

BEIJING

SHOWN. LEGISLATORS

IN

AS RECENT EVENTS SOMETIMES LESS THAN PERFECT.

HAVE

"I WISH THAT THE BASIC LAW SAID A METHODS OF ACCOUNTABILITY," HE SAID.

LAW

IF

ABSOLUTELY

TOO, ARE

GOOD DEAL MORE

ABOUT

THE

HE ADDED