MEMBERS: AND IN PART THROUGH ELECTIONS FROM IDENTIFIED FUNC- TIONAL GROUPS SUCH AS INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS, THE UNIVERSITIES, THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, LABTUR BOARDS AND SO ON. OFFICIAL MEMBERS WOULD CONTINUE TO ATTEND WITH THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AND
PRESENT LEGISLATION. SUCH A PROCESS WOULD DIFFUSE POLITICAL
POWER WIDELY IN THE COMMUNITY AND AVOID THE RISKS OF MANIP-
ULATION.
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
16. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO PROVIDE A MEANS OF CREATING THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OTHER THAN BY SIMPLE APPOINTMENT. CONSISTENT WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPING EXISTING
INSTITUTIONS, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MIGHT BE MADE UP AS FOLLOWS:
7 CR 8 MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM AMONG THEIR OWN NUMBER.
3 OR 4 EX OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE AS AT PRESENT.
2 RESERVED SEATS ONE FOR A REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE OF THE NOTE
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ISSUING BANKS AND ONE FOR A REPRESENTATIVE OF OVERSEAS COMPANIES ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG.
THE POSSIBILITY OF A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM ALONG THE LINES OF THE UK CABINET, GIVING UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF EXCO RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIOS HAS BEEN CONSIDERED. SUCH A PROPOSAL
WOULD BE A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS WHICH WOULD INTRODUCE AN ADDITIONAL ELEMENT OF UNCERTAINTY TO THE POLITICAL SCENE AT A TIME WHEN THERE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN ENOUGH UNCERTAINTIES. IT COULD NOT IN ANY CASE BE INTRODUCED UNTIL POLITICAL FIGURES CARRYING TERRITORY WIDE AUTHORITY HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED. AT LEAST AT THE FIRST STAGE OF REFORM, IT WILL BE PREFERABLE TO RETAIN THE PRESENT SYSTEM WHEREBY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE SUPERVISED BY SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT (THE LOCAL EQUIVALENT OF PERMANENT SECRETARIES) WHO SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR ENDORSEMENT, AMENDMENT, OR REJECTION, AND AS MEMBERS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ANSWER FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY AND SPONSOR BILLS.
GOVERNOR.
17. THERE IS NO PARTY POLITICAL PROCESS IN HONG KONG WHICH
COULD GENERATE A CHOICE BETWEEN A FEW OBVIOUS CANDIDATES OF
TERRITORY-WIDE POLITICAL STATURE OR A CHOICE BASED ON CANDIDATES
WHO WILL THEMSELVES HAVE EMERGED FROM THE ELECTIVE PROCESS.
THE DANGERS OF SIMPLE DIRECT ELECTION TO THE POST OF GOVERNOR ARE THE SAME AS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TO SURVIVE, THE GOVERNOR WOULD NEED TO BE NOT ONLY SUFFICIENTLY INDEPENDENT TO
GIVE ASSURANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BUT ALSO ACCEPTABLE
TO PEKING AS NOT HOSTILE TO THEIR INTERESTS. CANDIDATES FOR THE
FOST ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE FOUND IN LEGCO BUT THERE COULD BE
OCCASIONS WHEN A CANDIDATE MIGHT BE FOUND NOT IN THE ELECTED
BODIES BUT OUTSIDE, ON THE STRENGTH OF HIS OR HER STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY. THESE CONSIDERATIONS SUGGEST AN
5 SECRET
/ARRANGEMENT