CONFIDENTIAL
120015
MDHIAN 4718
POLITICAL FORCE TO BALANCE THE UDHK. BUT SO FAR, IT HAS ADDED TO RATHER THAN REDUCED THE POLITICAL TEMPERATURE.
16. IN PRACTICE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ANSWERED ITS CRITICS AND MANAGED TO MOBILISE SUPPORT FOR ITS POLICIES. THE UDHK HAS QUESTIONED THE STATUS OF NON-ELECTED MEMBERS BUT HAS ACCEPTED THE DECISION OF THE MAJORITY. ''CONSERVATIVE'' MEMBERS HAVE OFTEN DEMONSTRATED A WILLINGNESS TO LOOK BEYOND NARROW SECTORIAL INTERESTS.
17. THESE EFFORTS TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK OWE A GOOD DEAL TO THE ATTITUDE OF THE COMMUNITY. A POLL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR DEMONSTRATED THAT THE PUBLIC WELCOMED THE NEW ROBUSTNESS IN LEGCO. BUT MEMBERS ARE WELL AWARE THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD QUICKLY REJECT ANY MEMBER OR GROUP WHO SOUGHT TO TURN VIGOROUS DEBATE INTO TURMOIL AND, IN PARTICULAR, WHO SOUGHT TO JEOPARDISE THE ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL STABILITY OF THE TERRITORY.
18. A SIGNIFICANT TEST OF HOW THE COUNCIL WILL DEAL WITH MAJOR PRACTICAL POLICY ISSUES WILL BE THE DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET DURING MARCH. THE PROBLEMS THE GOVERNMENT HAS HAD IN FINANCE COMMITTEE COULD EMERGE IN MORE SERIOUS FORM. IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THE NEW LEGCO WILL BE A MORE SCEPTICAL AUDIENCE FOR THE BUDGET THAN IN THE PAST, AND THAT A MUCH GREATER EFFORT WILL BE REQUIRED TO MEET MEMBERS' QUESTIONS AND CRITICISMS.
PERCEPTIONS OF THE UK
19. HMG IS INCREASINGLY BELIEVE TO BE KEEPING ITSELF REMOTE FROM THE CONCERNS OF THE TERRITORY. BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE LEGAL COMMUNITY WAS VOCIFEROUS (ALBEIT WITH LITTLE JUSTIFICATION) IN ACCUSING BOTH THE UK AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS OF FAILING TO PAY PROPER ATTENTION TO HONG KONG OPINION ON THE CFA'S COMPOSITION. (THIS ISSUE IS QUIESCENT FOR THE MOMENT). FEELINGS ALSO RUN STRONG THAT HMG SHOWED A LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE TERRITORY BY CREATING UNCERTAINTY THROUGH ANNOUNCING A CHANGE OF GOVERNOR WITHOUT NAMING A SUCCESSOR. THERE IS ALSO A CURRENT SUSPICION THAT HMG IS DISTRACTED FROM HONG KONG AFFAIRS BY THE FORTHCOMING ELECTION. LORD CAITHNESS' VISIT IS WELL-TIMED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THESE ACCUSATIONS ARE UNFOUNDED.
EMIGRATION
20. GOVERNMENT POLLS SHOW THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR THE NUMBERS INTENDING TO EMIGRATE HAVE REMAINED STEADY AT ABOUT 12 PERCENT OF
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