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in our Government, both before and after 1997, was
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to have a fully accountable government consisting
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were not introduced before the promulgation of the
Basic Law, then it would not be in the Basic Law.
P3 some considered that the only way to maintain confidence
le. in
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of an elected legislature, mostly if not fully directly elected.<
Ein
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It was considered crucial to start
the change in 1988, in order to have sufficient time
for the system to be developed well before 1997. On
A the other hand, Sir, many of those who opposed direct
elections in 1988 favoured a more gradual evolution
of our system of government. They considered that maintenance of stability in our society during this transitional period to be of paramount importance.
Holders of this view believed that one should see the
whole before changing the parts. Since the whole, that is, a comprehensive system of government to be
enshrined in the Basic Law, had not been determined,
they believed that they should adopt a prudent attitude to any change. The reality, they suggested, was that any development in our system of government could not be taken in isolation from the development of、 the Basic Law which would govern Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region of China from 1997 for fifty 50
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years.
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Although I have stated in public
that I did not advocate direct elections in 1988, I
was prepared to examine the views of my colleagues in this Council, as well as members of the public who
opposed or proposed otherwise. After such further
examinations, I have no sufficient reason to alter
my views on the subject. I have found that most of these views have been high on the ideals of democracy
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