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39. IT IS PROPOSED THAT TO START WITH, THESE NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE INDIRECT ELECTION OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO REPRESENT GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN TWO STAGES - IN 1985 AND 1988. THESE YEARS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT ALL UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD HOLD OFFICE FOR A TERM OF THREE YEARS, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE YEARS IN WHICH DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AND BECAUSE THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF MEMBERS OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WILL BE ELECTED DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS. TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT URBAN COUNCIL AND NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN 1986 WOULD DELAY THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PROPOS- ED NEW. ARRANGEMENTS BY ONE YEAR: AND, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD GIVE THOSE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS NEWLY ELECTED IN 1985 MORE TIME TO SETTLE DOWN, IT WOULD RESULT IN 18 MONTHS OF POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY EVERY THREE YEARS FOR THOSE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SEEKING RE- ELECTION, INSTEAD OF ONLY SIX MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY IF THE ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TAKE PLACE IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER IN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTION YEARS. IT WOULD BE BETTER, THEREFORE, TO COMPLETE THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN THE SAME YEAR AND THEN HAVE A PERIOD OF TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF POLITICAL CERTAINTY BEFORE THE NEXT DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.
40. AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELECTIONS OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES ARE INTRODUCED BY STAGES, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SHOULD BE PROGRESSIVELY REDUCED WITH A VIEW TO THEIR TOTAL NUMBER
BEING 16 BY 1988.
41. IN THE CASE OF THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS IN THE ADMINISTRATION, 1.E. THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, SHOULD REMAIN AS EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS A LINK BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION. THERE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BE A NEED FOR A NUMBER OF OFFICIALS TO SIT, AS NOW, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IN ORDER TO INTRODUCE FORMALLY LEGISLATION WITHIN THE IR FIELD OF COMPETENCE, ONCE THE DRAFT LEGISLATION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE SPECIALIST GROUPS OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH EXAMINE SUCH
LEGISLATION IN DETAIL, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS ON THE
POLICIES APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THEIR FIELDS AND TO ANSWER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION'S EXECUTION OF THEM. THERE NEED, HOWEVER, NOT BE AS MANY OFFICIALS AS IN THE PAST AND THE NUMBER OF
OFFICIAL MEMBERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ILL BE REDUCED
PROGRESSIVELY TO 10 BY 1998.
42. THE TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1988, RESULT-
ING FROM ALL THESE PROPOSED CHANGES, WOULD BE 50.
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