XN000022-1990-03-01 — Page 2

1

THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1990

1991 ELECTIONS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD: CS

* * * * *

THE

1991

ELECTIONS

WILL MARK A MAJOR

STEP FORWARD

IN THE

BE SYSTEM

DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG, AND THEY WILL A TANGIBLE DEMONSTRATION OF OUR RESOLVE TO DEVELOP A POLITICAL

SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID BASED ON ELECTORAL CHOICE, THE CHIEF

FORD, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).

OF THE

"WITH CHOICE COMES RESPONSIBILITY: THE RESPONSIBILITY ABLEST IN OUR COMMUNITY TO STAND FOR OFFICE; THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WISELY; AND ELECTORATE TO EXERCISE THEIR CHOICE, AND TO EXERCISE IT

SIR DAVID SAID IN THE MOTION THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP, DEBATE ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM.

WOULD BE SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG

IN THE COUNCIL FOR INCREASINGLY LOOKING TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVES LEADERSHIP TO SEE THEM THROUGH THE UNCERTAINTIES WHICH LAY AHEAD.

"WE NEED PEOPLE OF COMMITMENT AND VISION

ΤΟ TAKE UP THE

CHALLENGE OF LEADING HONG KONG INTO THE NEXT CENTURY; LEADERS WHO WILL

ACT IN THE OVERALL INTEREST OF HONG KONG RATHER THAN ON THE BASIS NARROW FACTIONAL INTEREST, HE ADDED.

申

SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD NOT HELP IF WE WASTED TIME CASTIGATING CHINA OR BRITAIN FOR WHAT HAD GONE WRONG IN THE OR INDEED WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG IN THE FUTURE.

OF

OUR

PAST

AT THIS "ABOVE ALL WE MUST LOOK FORWARD RATHER THAN BACKWARD.

ΤΟ CONTINUE POINT IN OUR HISTORY WE MUST ACCEPT THAT IF HONG KONG IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL OUR FUTURE DESTINY LIES WITH US," THE CHIEF SECRETARY NOTED.

SIR DAVID SAID THE CONCLUSION OF THE DRAFTING OF THOSE PARTS OF TO THE BASIC LAW WHICH DEALT WITH POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS HAD BROUGHT AN END THE UNCERTAINTY WHICH HAD BEEN UNSETTLING FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAD TAKEN A KEEN INTEREST IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

"THERE IS A STRONG SENSE OF DISAPPOINTMENT IN THIS COUNCIL THAT THE OMELCO CONSENSUS WAS NOT ADOPTED AS THE BASIS FOR THE POLITICAL MODEL IN THE BASIC LAW, AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND MEMBERS' FRUSTRATION IN NOT BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE MORE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

T

A WIDER VIEW SOMETHING

OF THE BASIC

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THAT TAKING ELSE HAD BEEN ACHIEVED OVER THE PERIOD OF THE DRAFTING LAW WHICH WAS WORTHY OF COMMENT.

"THIS COMMUNITY HAS FACED UP TO, AND GRAPPLED WITH, THE TASK OF THROUGH THE SECURING PROGRESSIVE CHANGE TO THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE TRANSITION OF SOVEREIGNTY.

/"MANY PEOPLE