XN000022-1990-02-27 — Page 2

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1990

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FRAMEWORK AND TIMETABLE FOR GRADUAL, STEADY DEVELOPMENT

THE PACE OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAS BEEN SET OUT IN THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW MAY FALL SHORT OF THE MORE OPTIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE, BUT HONG KONG NOW HAB A FRAMEWORK AND A FIRM TIMETABLE FOR GRADUAL AND STEADY DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS A FULLY DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE, THE SECRETARY FOR GENERAL DUTIES, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONG AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IN SYDNEY, MR WIGGHAM SAID THE BASIC LAW WOULD SPELL OUT, IN A CHINESE LAW, ALL THE GUARANTEES FOR THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY PROMISED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.

"IT WILL BE THE FOUNDATION FOR HONG KONG'S CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. BY FAR THE GREATER PART OF THE DRAFT REFLECTS THE PROVISION IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, MANY ARTICLES ACTUALLY WORD FOR WORD, HE SAID.

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HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT THIS FACT HAD RECENTLY BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY WHAT BECAME THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE ΤΟ ARISE THROUGHOUT THE DRAFTING PROCESS

HONG KONG'S FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM.

MR WIGGHAM NOTED THAT THE BASIC. LAW ITSELF, IN ARTICLE STIPULATED THAT THE ULTIMATE AIM "SHALL BE THE SELECTION OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THROUGH GENERAL ELECTION".

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HE SAID то ENSURE THE MAXIMUM DEGREE OF CONTINUITY, LEGISLATURE ELECTED IN HONG KONG UNDER THE BRITISH ADMINISTRATION 1995, WOULD BE ABLE TO STRADDLE THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY AND SERVE UNTIL 1999.

"THAT IS, IT WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE FOR TWO YEARS AFTER THE REVERSION OF SOVEREIGNTY AND PROVIDE WHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE REFERRED TO AS A THROUGH TRAIN, HE SAID.

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TURNING TO THE QUESTION OF THE BRAIN DRAIN, MR WIGGHAM SAID WAS TRUE THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LEAVING HONG KONG WAS RUNNING AT A HIGHER RATE NOW THAN IN THE EARLY 1980'S SOMETHING OVER 50,000 A YEAR COMPARED WITH A PREVIOUS AVERAGE OF 20,000.

NOTING THAT WHILE SUCH STATISTICS HAD BEEN CAPTURING THE HEADLINES, MR WIGGHAM SAID WHAT ELSE HAD BEEN GOING ON WAS OFTEN OVERLOOKED, SUCH AS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WITH DEGREE LEVEL ATTAINMENT HAD INCREASED FROM JUST UNDER 150,000 TO THAN 200,000, BETWEEN 1985 AND 1989.

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NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN PROFESSIONAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGERIAL CATEGORY OF THE WORKFORCE HAS GROWN THE SAME PERIOD FROM 260,000 TO 310,000," HE ADDED.

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