13.
Conclusion
13.1
This Report, by its nature, cannot attempt to address all the issues involved in a full franchise, multi-party, election. Many of the iss not covered here are non-controversial, or the relevant or Northern Ireland legislation represents the state of the art after many decades of administrative refinement in response to abuses, and could be advantageously implemented where not already on the statute book. However, we would not wish it to be presumed that we have no views on issues not discussed in the Report. The Report, therefore, concentrates on those issues discussed with individuals and groups in our evidence gathering sessions, either at our initiative or at their's. So far as we
are aware there is no substantive issue raised with us which is not addressed above.
13.2
The catalyst for the invitation to the Electoral Reform Society to come to Hong Kong and to prepare this Report was the proximity of the first direct election for eighteen seats on LegCo.
However, other public elections are also important and we hope that the principles set out in the Report can be usefully applied to the elections of the District Boards and the Municipal Councils. The direct elections after 1997 for five representatives to the National People's Congress will also be extremely important, particularly in regard to future improvements in the Basic Law. Early consideration should be given to the preferred method of election. We would urge that consideration should be given to electing all five in a single territory wide constituency by the Single Transferable Vote in order to guarantee that those elected are representative of opinion in Hong Kong.
13.3
One of the individuals who kindly gave us his time told us that Hong Kong has "superb survival skills". Its vibrancy and its remarkable economic and social development over many decades is testimony to those skills. The challenge that faces Hong Kong today is to apply those survival skills to the practice of democracy. In the final analysis five and half million people living in such a close knit country, determined to make full legitimate use of the agreed democratic machinery, and thus investing their representatives with the authority of successful elections, can to a considerable extent determine their own future. That is the challenge facing Hong Kong. We hope to have made a small contribution to that end.
Michael Meadowcroft
Patrick Bradley
March 1991
The Electoral Reform Society
6 Chancel Street
London SEI OUU
ERS Deleg■Bon to Hong Kong Report 11
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