The first seminar on constitutional development commissioned by
Hong Kong's Constitutional Development Task Force will be held on
Monday.
The seminar will be focused on the areas which may be considered
for amendment in respect of the methods for the selection of the
chief executive in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council
(LegCo) in 2008, as set out in the Task Force's Third Report.
A government spokesman said Saturday that the seminar is
organized to provide a forum for participants from different
sectors to put forth their views and to facilitate mutual
understanding through direct communication. To this end, it will be
held again in June.
The participants will include members of the Executive Council
and LegCo, chairmen and vice-chairmen of District Councils,
Election Committee (EC) members, the academia, and representatives
of think tanks, the legal sector, the industrial and commercial
sector and other sectors.
Professor Edward Chen Kwan-yiu, president of the Lingnan
University, has been invited to be the facilitator. The seminar
will be held at the old wing of the Hong Kong Exhibition and
Convention Center in Wan Chai.
The spokesman said that the Task Force also welcomes written
submissions and proposals from organizations and individuals on the
areas which may be considered for amendments as set out in the
Third Report, and other areas regarding the two election methods.
They would have to be submitted before August 31.
Meetings with the Task Force could be arranged on request and as
necessary, he added.
"We hope that, through the seminar, we can encourage the
community to discuss, in a rational and pragmatic manner, on how
the two election methods may be amended," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2004)