7. I AM THEREFORE THINKING IN TERMS, ONCE ELECTIONS ARE ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY AT REGIONAL LEVEL, OF GENERATING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL W PART THROUGH ELECTIONS BASED ON QUOTE COLLEGES UNQUOTE OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND REGIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND IHN PART FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF IDENTIFIED FUNCTIONAL GROUPS, SUCH AS INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS, THE UNIVERSITIES, THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, LABOUR BOARDS ETC. THIS WOULD DIFFUSE FOLITICAL POWER WIDELY IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LESS OPEN TO MANIPULATION BY ANY ONE GROUP, WHETHER CONSTITUENCY-BASED, PARTY-BASED OR BASED ON ECONOMIC POWER. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO PROVIDE FOR A MEANS OF CREATING AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OTHER THAN BY A SIMPLE APPOINTMENT. WORKING ON THE PRINCIPLE OF TAKING THE PATTERN OF EXISTING INSTITUTIONS AS OUR STARTING POINT WE COULD ENVISAGE THE COUNCIL CONSISTING OF 3 OR 4 EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE, AS NOW: RESERVED SEATS FOR A REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE OF THE NOTE-
SSUING BANKS AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF OVERSEAS COMPANIES ESTAB- LISHED HERE: AND 7 OR & MEMBERS ELECTED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM AMONG THEIR OWN NUMBER.
8. WE HAVE CONSIDERED WHETHER A QUOTE MEMBERSHIP UNQUOTE *.5. MINISTERIAL SYSTEM COULD BE INTRODUCED SO THAT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL COULD BECOME RESPONSIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIOS. I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT, IN THE CURCUM- STANCES OF HONG KONG, THIS WOULD LIMIT THE MEMBERSHIP OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TO THOSE WEALTHY ENOUGH TO BECOME FULL TIME POLITICAL FIGURES. BUT MORE IMPORTANT, SUCH AN INNOVATION WOULD INTRODUCE AN UNCERTAIN NEW ELEMENT TO THE POLITICAL SCENE HERE AT A TIME WHEN THERE WILLXBE ENOUGH UNCERTAINTIES ANYWAY. MY CONCLUSION IS THAT, AT LEAST AT THE FIRST STAGE, THE SYSTEM SHOULD REMAIN AS IT HE NOW WHTH DEPARTMENTS BEING SUPERVISED BY SECRETARIES IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARHAT (THE LOCAL EQUIVALENT OF PERMANENT UNDER-SECRETARIES) WHO SUBMIT PROOSALS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR ENDORSEMENT, AMENDMENT, OR REJECTION..
9. THERE WOULD REMAIN THE ISSUE OF THE WAY IN WHICH THE FUTURE GOVERNOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE SELECTED AND APPOINTED, WHICH 1. WILL MAKE THE SUBJECT OF A SEPARATE TELEGRAM.
10. DO NOT SUGGEST THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO COME TO CONCLUSIONS NOW ON THE DETAILS OF THE PATTERN HAVE SET OUT ABOVE: AND THERE MAY NEED TO BE AMMENDMENT IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC RESPONSES AT EACH STAGE: BUT MF WE ARE TO PRESENT A PAPER WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO THE CHINESE ON ARRANGEMENTS (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) AFTER 1997 WE SHOULD HAVE A REASONABLY CLEAR DEA IN OUR MINDS AS TO WHAT STRUCTURE WE WOULD HOPE TO SEE IN PLACE SOMETIME (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) BEFORE THAT DATE. BOTH THE CONCEPT ITSELF AND THE DETAILS OF A CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF THE GOVERNING INSTIT- UTIONS OF THIS COLONY BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 WOULD NEED TO BE ENDORSED BOTH BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND BY MINISTERS BEFORE THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH INSTITUTIONS COULD BE TAKEN AS OUR STARTING POINT FOR THE PERIOD AFTER 1997.
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