XN000022-1990-11-28 — Page 2

PRESENT SYSTEM OF DIRECT ELECTION WELL-TRIED

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KONG

THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF DIRECT ELECTION IS A TYPICALLY HONG SOLUTION BASED ON A WELL-TRIED, SUCCESSFUL APPLIED SYSTEM WITH WHICH THE PUBLIC IS FAMILIAR, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON PETER TSAO, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE SECOND READING DEBATE OF THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1990, HE SAID IT WAS MODELLED ON THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK WHICH HAD BEEN USED SINCE 1982 FOR THE DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.

THAT

THE

MR TSAO ADDED

GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS LIGHT OF EXPERIENCES GAINED IN THE ELECTIONS.

WOULD CONDUCT A AFTER 1991 IN THE

INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL GOVERNMENT HAD NO

ON THE SUGGESTION OF SETTING UP AN COMMISSION, MR TSAO POINTED OUT THAT THE PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CONCEPT OF AN INDEPENDENT BODY ATTENDING TO SOME OF THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS.

"DURING THE COURSE OF OUR DISCUSSION WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP ON ELECTORAL LEGISLATION, WE INDICATED THAT THE TERMS OF REFERENCE, COMPOSITION, STATUS AND MODUS OPERANDI OF AN ELECTION COMMISSION OR BOUNDARIES COMMISSION WOULD NEED CAREFUL CONSIDERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG; AND THAT TIME WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER NEXT YEAR, HE SAID.

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"ON THE OTHER HAND, WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE OF US то CAST AWAY THE WELL TRIED ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND INSTEAD ΤΟ EXPERIMENT WITH AN UNTRIED NEW SYSTEM HASTILY PUT TOGETHER AT THIS STAGE OF HONG KONG'S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT.

"THE GOVERNMENT HAS, HOWEVER, UNDERTAKEN

TO EXAMINE THE CONCEPT AND PRACTICABILITY OF THE PROPOSALS FOR AN INDEPENDENT BODY ON ELECTORAL MATTERS SO THAT THEY COULD, IF NECESSARY, BE IMPLEMENTED IN 1995."

MR TSAO REJECTED THE ACCUSATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN GERRYMANDERING OVER ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

IN REACHING DECISIONS ON BOUNDARIES, НЕ SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN ACCOUNT OF THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS AVAILABLE IN 1991, PRESENT AND FUTURE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, GEOGRAPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND THE EXISTING ELECTORAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES.

HE STRESSED THAT THE CONSTITUENCY ARRANGEMENTS ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS YEAR BY THE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTED THE BEST AND INVOLVED NO PARTY POLITICS.

/COMMENTING ON