TNAG-1724-FCO40-2437-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 65

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and participation by wider sections of the community, so

they

that more can contribute to building a society of which

they can be truly proud.

There are those who are fearful that the growth

of more democratic systems will bring dissension within

our community and, more importantly, discontinuity in the

policies which have proved so successful in the past. I

do not believe we should be afraid of dissenting voices.

Rather we must build institutions which, on the one hand,

are strong enough in themselves to accommodate differing

opinions with tolerance and, on the other, allow for the

majority to endorse policies which, although unpopular

with some, are seen to be in the best interests of the

community as a whole.

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Experience in this Council would suggest that,

although there are differences of opinion on a wide range

of topics, the main thrust of the government's policies

does command the support of a wide majority of members of

this Council and indeed of the community as a whole. I

cannot believe that future members of this Council,

however they are elected, will wish to put our continuing

success at risk by experimenting with vastly different

policies from those which have so clearly benefitted the

community over recent decades.

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