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3. WITH REGARD TO THE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD NOT OVERSTATE THE EFFECT THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF A FEW DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS WOULD HAVE. HOWEVER, IT FOLLOWS THAT WE MUST ALSO BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERSTATE THE DANGERS THAT THESE FEW SEATS MIGHT BRING.
4. MY COMMENTS ON THE REVISED DRAFT ARE AS FOLLOWS:
A) PARA. 14. I THINK THE ASSESSMENT IN THE FIFTH SENTENCE IS GENERALLY CORRECT, BUT THE PARAGRAPH NEEDS TO BE REDRAFTED SLIGHTLY TO BRING OUT MORE CLEARLY THE POINT THAT IT IS REFERRING TO OPINIONS ON THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 AND IN 1997. I SUGGEST THAT THE LAST 3 SENTENCES SHOULD BE REPLACED BY -
**HOWEVER, THERE SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE, EVEN AMONG MANY OF THE MORE CONSERVATIVE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL GROUPINGS THAT THE DIRECT ELECTION OF UP TO 25 PER CENT OF THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT BE TOLERABLE IN 1997, AND MIGHT NEUTRALIZE DEMANDS FOR EVEN MORE RADICAL CHANGE. THE DIVISION OF OPINION IN THE BLDC SUB-GROUP ON THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IN WHICH A NUMBER OF THE HONG KONG MEMBERS ARE APPARENTLY AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS EVEN AFTER 1997, IS NOT A TRUE REFLECTION OF THE OPINION OF THE COMMUNITY. THE DEBATE IS IN FACT NOT TENDING TO FOCUS ON THE TIMING OF THE INTRODUCTION OF A DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT AND ON THE PROPORTION OF MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO BE SELECTED BY THIS
METHOD.''
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B) PARA. 15. I DO NOT THINK THAT AT THIS STAGE I COULD SUPPORT THE STRENGTHENING OF THE FIRST SENTENCE. THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS FOR A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS BECAUSE OF THE STIPULATION IN THE JOINT DECLARATION THAT THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD BE CONSTITUTED BY ELECTIONS. WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE REVIEW NEXT YEAR TO SEE HOW OPINION SETTLES.
C) PARA. 18 INCREASING RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN A STRONG EXECUTIVE MAY REFLECT AN ASSUMPTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS RATHER THAN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THEM. I DO NOT THINK THE TEXT NEEDS
CHANCING.
D) PARA. 25. THE BLDC SUP-GROUP IS ACTUALLY VERY SMALL AND THE PENULTIMATE SENTENCE GIVES A SLIGHTLY INFLATED IDEA OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY A 4-2 MAJORITY. I SUGGEST IT BE
REPLACED BY -
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/MOREOVER,
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