| CAB responds to opinion poll on constitutional development |
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In response to press enquiries regarding an opinion poll on middle class' views concerning Hong Kong's constitutional development, a spokesman for the Constitutional Affairs Bureau (CAB) today (April 1) made the following statement:
"After the third term HKSAR Government has been formed in July, we shall publish a green paper on constitutional development to promote discussions within the community on the options for implementing universal suffrage for returning the Chief Executive (CE) and the Legislative Council (LegCo) During the administration of the second term HKSAR Government, the CAB put forth a package of proposals in 2005 to further democratise Hong Kong's electoral system through incorporating all District Council (DC) members into the Election Committee to enhance the democratic elements in the 2007 CE election and through enabling DC members to elect amongst themselves more representatives to the LegCo to enhance the representativeness of the 2008 LegCo. Although the package received the support of 60 per cent of the public and more than half of the LegCo Members, it was vetoed by the LegCo Members of the opposition camp, and this prevented Hong Kong from making progress in constitutional development The HK SAR Government is firmly committed to achieving the ultimate aim of universal suffrage in accordance with the Basic Law. Since the establishment of the Commission on Strategic Development in 2005, we have been encouraging the representatives of different sectors in the community and various political groups to put forth and discuss different options for implementing universal suffrage. The Commission is engaging in substantive discussions and narrowing down differences. The discussions of the Commission will form the basis for the green paper to be published later this year." Ends/Sunday, April 1, 2007 |