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Survey Office which was supposed to be an independent body. The objectionable question was drafted by AGB McNair H.K. Ltd. which was also supposed to be independent. But the relevant question was copied almost word for word from the summary of the Green Paper which was the work of the Hong Kong Government; and it contained so much trivia which had nothing to do with central government that it prompted many to believe that it was calculated to confuse the public. In the result, experts have condemned with one voice that part of the Report which touched on the all-important issue of whether direct elections should be introduced in 1988. And yet the Hong Kong Government has not only been defending it in public but is also relying on it to justify its view that the opinion of the Hong Kong people were split as to whether direct elections should be introduced in 1988, thus sparing itself the utter embarrassment of having to confront the Chinese Government on an extremely sensitive issue. In the circumstances, could the people of Hong Kong be blamed if they believe that there has be en a concerted effort on the part of both the Chinese and the Hong Kong Governments to concoct a false "public opinion" in order to stifle the very legitimate wishes and aspirations of the people of Hong Kong to have direct elections introduced in 1988?
Prime Minister, we appeal to your sense of justice and fair play over the manner in which the true opinion of the people of Hong Kong on this issue has be en manipulated by the Hong Kong Government, and we urge you to right this blatant wrong for the people of Hong Kong.
What is to be done?
As a result of these unpopular acts and wrong decisions on the part of the Hong Kong Government, more
and more people have decided to leave Hong Kong.
But the British Administration in Hong Kong and the Chinese Government have no solution to the ever growing emigration problem, except to try to play it down by saying repeatedly that the people who go away will come back. of course, some of them not all do com e back after acquiring foreign passports. But if anything should
go wrong in the future, they would most certainly leave again, and this time for good since for the mo st part they have already acquired foreign nationality.
In these circumstances,
we are extremely concerned
to
evolve
that unless something drastic is done immediately, the biggest asset of Hong Kong, namely, its people, will soon be dissipated by this ever flowing tide of emigration. We believe that both the British and the Chinese Governments should adhere strictly to the letter and spirit of the Joint Declaration, by making it possible for а democratic system of government between now and 1997 SO that an effective and responsive government will be in place before 1997 to ensure that the SAR Government can, and will, actually exercise that high degree of autonomy promised in the Join t Declaration. True democracy will give the future SAR government a mandate from the people of Hong Kong. On ly then will Hong Kong's future leaders find it possible to defend the interests and the freedoms of the people they govern, particularly in situations involving a
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