Seminars and Discussion Group

Constitutional Development: Focus Group for Young People
(11 August 2004)

Group Discussion Summaries
Blue Group: Dr Howard Cheng

(Translation)

Method for Selecting the Chief Executive

The Number of Members and the Composition of the Election Committee

• Participants agreed that the number of members of the Election Committee should be increased, but no figure was put forth. They thought that if the number were increased, more representatives from various sectors, especially the grassroots and youth, could be included.

Method for forming the Legislative Council

The Number of Seats Returned by Functional Constituencies

• Some participants questioned the value of existence of functional constituencies. They suggested that functional constituencies be abolished as quickly as possible.

Other Views

Timetable for Constitutional Development

• Participants hoped that the Government would set out a timetable for constitutional development after consensus was reached. For example, it could stipulate that implementation of universal suffrage for the post of Chief Executive and the Legislative Council would take place in 2012. Young people would then feel that they could participate in a substantive manner with a guarantee. On the basis of this timetable, they also hoped that the need for slogan-chanting or argument would give way to substantive participation by the community with a countdown in mind.

Youth Participation

• Participants were of the view that the seminar-type discussion was too rigid and formal. They hoped that the consultation was not just a mere gesture by the Government, but was conducted with sincerity and respect for young people.
  
  

• Participants wished that the grown-ups and government officials could reach out to understand youth thinking. They looked forward to having this discussion as a start, after which they could continue to express and convey their opinions to the Government through other platforms, such as MSN and ICQ.
  
  

• Participants proposed that when the Government gathered views for future reforms, there was no need to define people by age. Youth representatives should be engaged and their voices be heard through different consultation framework and organizations in the future.