TNAG-1719-FCO40-2399-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 37

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AMONG

AND TO WORK TOGETHER WAS ECHOED BY SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS. THESE A NUMBER SAID THAT THE CONTINUING ARGUMENT ON THESE ISSUES WAS AFFECTING INVESTOR CONFIDENCE. A FEW MEMBERS COMMENTED ON THE NEED TO MAKE EARLY PRACTICLA ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991. AND, SEVERAL ASKED THAT MORE CIVIC EDUCATION BE PROVIDED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

4. HAVING FAILED TO OBTAIN AGREEMENT TO HIS MOVING AN AMENDMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DEBATE, MARTIN LEE MOVED IT ON THE SECOND DAY WHEN HIS TURN TO SPEAK CAME. 18 MEMBERS SPOKE ON THE AMENDMENT, WHICH WAS TO ADD AFTER THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S MOTION THE WORDS ''BUT REGRETS THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION NOT TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1988 IN SPEAKING TO THE AMENDMENT,

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AT CONSIDERABLE LENGTH, LEE ATTEMPTED TO DISCREDIT THE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF DELAYING DIRECT ELECTIONS UNTIL 1991. HE AGAIN ATTACKED THE AGB MCNAIR SURVEYS. HE RECEIVED LITTLE SUPPORT. ON A DIVISION, FOR WHICH HE CALLED (A RARE ANIMAL IN HONG KONG, DEBATES ARE ALMOST ALWAYS CONCLUDED WITH A VOICE COUNT), THE RESULT WAS 42 AGAINST, 7 FOR, AND ONE ABSENTION.

NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS

5. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS SZETO WAH MOVED AN AMENDMENT TO ADD THE WORDS ''BUT REGRETS THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO INTRODUCE ONLY TEN DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1991 AND TO IMPLEMENT IT BY REPLACING THE TEN SEATS CURRENTLY FILLED BY INDIRECT ELECTION FROM THE DISTRICT BOARDS

THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN

·

THE SYMPATHY OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS. SZETO ARGUED THAT THEIR REPLACEMENT BY DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS DIMINISHED THE DISTRICT BOARD'S ROLE. THIS AMENDMENT GENERATED SOME HEAT, WITH SEVERAL EMOTIONAL SPEECHES LARGELY BECAUSE OF SOME UNFORTUNATE METAPHORS WHICH SZETO CHOSE TO USE. 17 MEMBERS SPOKE ON THE AMENDMENT FIVE FOR AND 12 AGAINST. ON A VOICE VOTE, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF MEMBERS WERE AGAINST THE AMENDMENT.

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6. WHILE SZETO'S AMENDMENT WAS FIRMLY REJECTED A NUMBER OF THOSE OPPOSING THE AMENDMENT WERE NOT WITHOUT SYMPATHY FOR THE CONCEPT OF RETAINING A LINK BETWEEN THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE BASIC LAW

•

7 SEVERAL

MEMBERS SPOKE ON THE

BASIC LAW. SOME EXPRESSED THE

DESIRABILITY OF

CONVERGENCE WITH THE HOPE THAT ONCE THE BASIC LAW WAS

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