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20. A NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL TO COVER THE NON-URBAN AREAS AND TO
PERFORM FUNCTIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, WAS
PROPOSED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE REFORMS FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S AIM WAS TO OBTAIN GREATER PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES IN THE NEW
TERRITORIES, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE LARGE INCREASE IN
POPULATION IN THE NEW TOWNS, BOTH ACTUAL AND EXPECTED AND ALSO TO
CORRECT THE ANOMALY OF A PARTLY ELECTED URBAN COUNCIL PROVIDING A
WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC IN THE URBAN AREAS, WHILE
SIMILAR SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NEW
TERRITORIES BY A DEPARTMENT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT.
21. THE REGIONAL COUNCIL TO BE CONSTITUTED ON 1 APRIL 1986 WILL
HAVE 36 MEMBERS. 12 MEMBERS WILL BE DECTLY ELECTED BY
CONSTITUENCIES: A FURTHER 12 WILL BE APPOINTEY THE GOVERNOR.
THE CHAIRMAN AND THE TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK WILL BE
MEMBERS (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) EX OFFICIO, AND THE NINE
DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL EACH ELECT FROM AMONG
THEIR OWN MEMBERS OE FURTHER COUNCILLOR. IN APRIL 1985 A
PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL OF APPOINTED MEMBERS AND DISTRICT
BOARD REPRESENTATIVES WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALLOW WORKING EXPERIENCE
TO BE GAINED BEFORE THE REGIONAL COUNCIL COMES INTO BEING.
(D) (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
22.
THESE REFORMS CONSIDERABLY ENHANCED REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT AT THE DISTRICT, URBAN AND REGIONAL LEVEL. IN NOVEMBER 1984, HAVING SOUGHT AND RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENT ON
PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN A GREEN PAPER, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
PUBLISHED A WHITE PAPER SETTING OUT THE STEPS TO BE TAKEN IN 1985
TO DEVELOP REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL. THE
PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER WERE ENDORSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL IN JANUARY 1985. THE PRINCIPAL REFORMS CONCERNED THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, TO WHICH 24 MEMBERS WOULD BE CHOSEN FOR THE
FIRST TIME BY INDIRECT ELECTIONS: 12 WERE TO BE ELECTED BY
ELECTORAL COLLEGES COMPRISING ALL MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND 12 BY
SPECIFIC FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES COVERING THE MAJOR SECTORS OF
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CONFIDENTIAL