SECRE
52 AS WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IT IS INTENDED THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTRODUCING A MORE REPRESENTATIVE ELEHET INTO THE COMPOSITION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE INTRODUCED PROGRESS- IVELY. AGAIN, ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE PERIOD OF OFFICE F ELECTED MEMBERS OF BOTH THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COMENCILS WOULD SE FOR THREE YEARS, SO AS TO FIT IN WITH THE ELECTORAL CYCLE FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE REGIONAL COUNCILS, IT IS PROPOSED THAT, TO START WITH, FOUR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE ELECTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1959, FOLLOWING THE ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN THAT YEAR. ANOTHER FOUR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WOULD PROBABLY BE ELECTED IN 1991.
53. THE FOLLOWING TABLE ILLUSTRATES THE ABOVE PROPOSALS
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS
CURRENT
(A) ELECTED BY LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
'.0
(B) APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR
12
(C) EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
4
TOTAL
16
1988
1331
#
和
16
N
#
34. HOWEVER, THE PROPOSALS FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THE EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL IN 1991 MAY BE SUBJECT TO MODIFICATION IN THE LIGHT OF THE
REVIEW OF THE POSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH IT IS PROPOSED
SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN 1989.
55. THE GOVERNOR'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS DEALT
WITH IN CHAPTER 7.
56. SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE FROM TIME TO TIME THAT UNOFFICIAL
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS SHOULD PLAY A
GREATER PART IN THE ADMINISTRATION BY ASSUMING SOME SORT OF
EXECUTIVE ROLE, SIMILAR TO THE MINISTERIAL FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES IN OTHER COUNTRIES. LEAVING ASIDE THE
QUESTION OF WHETHER SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD BE SUITED TO THE SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, IT IS HOT PROPOSED TO PURSUE THIS IDEA AT PRESENT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. AS WAS EXPLAINED EARLIER (IN
PARAGRAPH 27), IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PRESERVE THE STABILITY AND HARMONY OF THE COMMUNITY. THE PROPOSALS, WHICH APE CONCERNED WITH THE METHOD OF SELECTION TO THE PRINCIPAL INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT,
THEMSELVES REPRESENT SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE AND MUST BE MESORBED BEFORE
ANY CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT ITSELF ARE INTRODUCED. SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS MAY BE CONSIDERED AT A LATER STAGE, BUT THE
PROPOSED NEW SYSTEM OF SELECTION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED AND ALLOWED TO
SETTLE DOWN FIRST.
-73
SECAST
[CHAPTER 7
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