XN000022-1992-10-07 — Page 51

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1992

WIDE-RANGING ELECTORAL PACKAGE PROPOSED

A

JOINT

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY UNVEILED

OF PROPOSALS PACKAGE

TO DEVELOP HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIVE

OF THE INSTITUTIONS

MAXIMUM EXTENT WITHIN THE TERMS DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW.

ΤΟ THE

THE PROPOSED ELECTORAL PACKAGE INCLUDES:

* LOWERING THE VOTING AGE TO 18

* INTRODUCTION OF SINGLE SEAT, SINGLE VOTE CONSTITUENCIES

* EXTENDING THE ELECTORATE OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES

* EXPANDING THE ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARDS

* DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS TO BE DIRECTLY ELECTED

* ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION * MEMBERS OF THE 1995 ELECTION COMMITTEE TO BE DRAWN FROM

DIRECTLY ELECTED DBS

IN OUTLINING HIS PROPOSALS TO LEGCO MEMBERS, MR PATTEN MADE CLEAR THAT THEY WOULD REQUIRE SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH PEKING.

IT

THE

CHINESE

"LET US BE CLEAR WHY WE ARE DISCUSSING WITH GOVERNMENT ALL THESE ISSUES RELATING TO THE 1995 ELECTIONS.

"THE COMMUNITY

GOVERNMENT. THINK IT IS EQUALLY PLAIN THAT A MAJORITY WANTS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS

WITH THE BASIC LAW FAR AS POSSIBLE, ΤΟ

AS BE COMPATIBLE,

WANTS MORE REPRESENTATIVE

BUT

I

AND,

ACCORDINGLY, TO TRANSCEND 1997.

OF

REASON, THE

REQUIRE

SERIOUS

"AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE OPINIONS BOTH THE PRESENT AND FUTURE SOVEREIGN POWERS. FOR THIS PROPOSALS

I AM PUTTING FORWARD THIS AFTERNOON WILL

+

DISCUSSION WITH PEKING, HE SAID.

THE

MR PATTEN SAID WHAT HE WAS OUTLINING WAS THE BROAD SHAPE OF THE

WHICH UNDERSTANDING

HE

ACHIEVED BOTH WITHIN HOPED COULD BE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.

LOWER VOTING AGE

THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WISHED TO SEE THE VOTING AGE REDUCED FROM 21 TO 18, AS THE COUNCIL ITSELF HAD RECMMENDED, AND WHICH WAS REGARDED AS A SENSIBLE IN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD

VOTING AGE.

HE SAID YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN HONG KONG WERE JUST AS ABLE EXERCISE THEIR JUDGMENT AS CITIZENS AS THEIR AGE GROUP ELSEWHERE.

SINGLE VOTE, SINGLE SEAT

TO

MR PATTEN SAID THE 1991 SYSTEM OF DOUBLE MEMBER HAD BEEN CRITICISED BECAUSE OF THE "COAT TAIL" EFFECT.

CONSTITUENCIES

/"TO AVOID