TNAG-1880-FCO40-2671-Student-demonstrations-and-internal-political-situation-in-C-1989 — Page 102

in 2003 which will result in certain strata being deprived of any representation in the Legislative Council. Will there be adequate representation of the industrial and commercial sectors in the Legislative

Council? How about the workers, hawkers and people at the grassroot

level? We must consider these carefully.

There should not be any problem to have 50 directly elected

seats in 1997 as the industrial and commercial sectors will surely agree

to it. But the political figures and political organizations in the

industrial and commercial sectors are still not quite ready and it is

believed that they will object to the complete abolition of functional

constituencies six years after 1997. The British Parliamentary system, despite its development over several centuries, still consists of a House of Lords to act as a buffer against the over-heated sentiment

of the masses. Therefore, it is rather unusual for Britain to expect

Hong Kong to finish the whole course of democratization in six years, and without the establishment of an upper house.

Whether all Seats Should be Directly Elected in 2003

Hong Kong is a highly commercialized city. The success of the

Hong Kong Government in administering Fong long is due to its care for the

interests of investors. Even though the colonial system in Hong Kong is

so undemocratic, it has, through a system of appointment, maintained a considerable proportion of representation from the industrial and commercial sectors in the Legislative Council. The fact that Lydia DUNN

and after her, Allen LEE have assumed the position of the senior member

of the Legislative Council indicates the role played by people in the

industrial and commercial sectors in the government system of Hong Kong.

Once all the seats are directly elected, it would be hard for the likes

of Lydia DUNN and Allen LEE to become senior members. Whether they can

have a seat in the Legislative Council is also doubtful. Hong Kong people cannot expect people like Lydia DUNN and Allen LEE to behave like a party chief, to speak eloquently in a mass rally and make use of their political styles and charisma to attract voters. They are business people. They have good administration ability, much better than Szeto Wah. However, their skills, their way of speaking and personal styles in mass

appeal lag far behind that of Szeto Wah. The emotions of the masses are easily swayed by the radicals, but are less readily influenced by those