DIRECTION, THAT THERE IS INDEED A SUBSTANTIAL BLOCK OF OPINION IN THAT DIRECTION. THAT IS THE BEST YOU CAN DO. BUT WE ALL KNOW, COMING FROM THE BRITISH SCENE, AND DENNIS REFLECTED THIS. IN HIS REMARKS, THAT OPINION POLLS CAN BE VERY, VERY FALSE SNAPSHOTS OF POPULAR SHORT TERM OPINION, NOT OF ENDURING INFORMED AND WISER LONG TERM OPINION.
BUT DENNIS, YOU WISH TO REPLY.
MR DENNIS CANAVAN:
JUST VERY BRIEFLY. I, PERSONALLY, WOULD FAVOUR A REFERENDUM BUT I DON'T THINK THAT AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME IT IS A REALISTIC PROPOSITION. SO IF WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND MEASURE PUBLIC OPINION HERE IN HONG KONG I THINK IT IS BETTER DONE BY MEANS OF MAXIMISING THE REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS FOR THE NEXT ELECTIONS AND TRYING TO EXTEND THE DEMOCRATIC FRANCHISE. BECAUSE AS I SAID EARLIER, THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A HISTORY OF DEMOCRACY' HERE IN HONG KONG, THERE IS ALMOST A DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT, A VACUUM, AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING IS VERY OFTEN READING THESE OPINION POLLS
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW WELL AND HOW SCIENTIFICALLY CONDUCTED THESE OPINION POLLS ARE BUT EVEN BACK HOME WE TREAT THEM WITH A HEALTHY DEGREE OF SCEPTICISM, ESPECIALLY AFTER, AS I SAY, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE GENERAL ELECTION LAST YEAR WHEN MY OWN PARTY, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE OPINION POLLS HAD PREDICTED THE OUTCOME, WELL WHO KNOWS, MR GAPES MIGHT HAVE BEEN HERE AS FOREIGN SECRETARY, AND BOB WAREING AS DEFENCE SECRETARY, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MR HOWELL!
THERE WE ARE. I HAVE LET
AND MR CANAVAN AS FOREIGN SECRETARY. SCOTLAND HAVE THE LAST WORD. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND PATIENCE. THAT IS IT. THANK YOU.
15
TOTAL P. !A
•
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.