TNAG-2456-FCO40-3577-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-presentation-1992 — Page 126

07-OCT-1992. 17:27

1992-10-07 22:14 6.1.9

Peggy Lam welcomed the wider powers of DBs and the proposal that all DB members were to be directly elected.

Pang Chun-hoi felt that improvement to welfare was long overdue.

Eric Li was disappointed that the policy speech bad not made any pledge for the young people of HK.

Groups: On the separation of Exco and Lagen, Allen Lae of the CRC sejd Thay supported and respected the Governor's decision. He said the Governor's plan to set up a Government-Legco Committee was an "innovative" idea and the CRC would support it to make it work.

UDHK spokesman Young. Sum said the policy speech had made some progress in democracy development, but the separation of Exco and Legco was a "retrogressive step". He insisted that directly elected members should be appointed to Exco to make the council more representative and to groom talents for running HK. While he agreed that the Governor should discuss with China HK's political development, he hoped when the Governor returned from the Peking talks, he would make his final decision in deference to the public wish here. The group's chairman, Martin Lee, noted that even if all the proposals that were to be brought in up with Peking were all implemanted, there would not be full democracy HK.

Frederick Fung of the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood said the policy speech could basically meet their demand. It was reasonable to spend more on social services since the Government could well afford it, Mr Fung said the policy address resembled the UK's Citizens' Charter in some ways and whether the Governor's plans could he implemented would depend on whether there was a strong executive organ to carry them out.

Labour unionist Lee Chauk-van was disappointed that the labour

importation scheme would continue. He felt that more should be done on Tatraining local workers.

Academics: Joseph Cheng of City Polytechnic called the Policy Address "brave and innovative", but he added that the proposal for forming the Election Committee mostly by directly elected DBs would meet with opposition from the Chinese side. On Exgo appointments, he said that there seemed that there was a lack of representatives from big consortia in Exco, The new appointees were mostly professionals with neutral political stands. However, he was worried that the Governor's Business Council will be filled by representatives from big consortia. They might exert strong influence on Government. He wondered how the public would monitor the Business Council. He would not expect strong reaction from the Chinese side to Exco appointments.

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