CONFIDENTIAL
021727
MDHIAN 3319
12.
THE PUBLIC HAS ALSO HAD TO ADJUST TO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN THE WAY THAT LEGCO OPERATES. THE MEDIA HAVE PLAYED UP THE APPARENT EMERGENCE OF A TWO-PARTY SPLIT (BETWEEN THE UDHK AND THE 21 MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED THE CO-OPERATIVE RESOURCES CENTRE SET UP BY ALLEN LEE). DISPUTES WITHIN LEGCO OVER ITS OWN PROCEDURES AND THE ABRUPT RESIGNATION OF ALLEN LEE FROM THE POSITION OF LEGCO'S SENIOR MEMBER HAVE ADDED TO THE PUBLIC'S CONFUSION ABOUT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS.
13. THE NEW LEGCO'S PERFORMANCE TO DATE HAS PERHAPS BEEN MORE ENCOURAGING THAN THE PUBLIC PERCEIVES. THE VARIOUS PARTIES AND GROUPINGS HAVE RECOGNISED THE NEED TO FIND SENSIBLE COMPROMISES ON HOW LEGCO SHOULD CONDUCT ITS BUSINESS. THE NEED TO WORK WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF CURRENT CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS, EXISTING POLICIES AND FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IS ALSO ACCEPTED, THOUGH SOMEWHAT GRUDGINGLY IN SOME QUARTERS. MOST IMPORTANT, LEGCO MEMBERS AS A WHOLE ARE CONSCIOUS OF THE COMMUNITY'S DEEP CONCERN THAT THE TERRITORY'S ADMINISTRATION SHOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY AND EFFICIENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LEGISLATURE WITH AN ELECTED MAJORITY AND ONLY THREE OFFICIAL MEMBERS HAS NOT SO FAR LED TO A DISRUPTION OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. IN RECENT WEEKS, LEGCO HAS DEBATED ISSUES OF MAJOR CONCERN CE.G. INFLATION, REGULATION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES), AND HKG HAS BEEN ABLE TO WIN A FAIR HEARING FOR OFFICIAL POLICIES.
14. HOWEVER, THE MANAGEMENT OF LEGCO HAS BECOME MORE COMPLEX WITH THE END OF HONG KONG'S TRADITIONAL 'CONSENSUS POLITICS'. WE SHALL HAVE TO WORK HARD TO SECURE SUPPORT FROM A BROAD LEGCO SPECTRUM FOR EACH PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVE AND FINANCIAL PROGRAMME. BUT THERE IS SOME REALISATION IN THE MEDIA THAT THE EMERGENCE OF MORE CONFRONTATIONAL POLITICAL STYLES COULD BE INIMICAL TO THE CONDUCT OF SENSIBLE BUSINESS. ALREADY, POLITICAL COMMENTATORS HAVE TURNED THEIR ATTACKS FROM OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES TO THE 'MACHINATIONS' OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WITHIN LEGCO.
VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS
15. THIS MONTH'S RESUMPTION OF COMPULSORY REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY. THE EFFORTS OF ALL CONCERNED ARE GENUINELY APPRECIATED, ALTHOUGH THAT IS TEMPERED BOTH BY CONCERN THAT THE PROGRAMME MAY NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE BELIEF THAT IT SHOULD HAVE STARTED LONG AGO.
EMIGRATION
16. EMIGRATION CONTINUES AT HIGH LEVELS, BUT MAY HAVE PEAKED FOR
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