CONFIDENTIAL
7558. 1
IN
THE COMMUNITY. THE TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, EXCLUDING THE PRESIDENT (THE GOVERNOR) WAS INCREASED FROM 46 TO 56 MEMBERS, WITH OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP DECREASING FROM 16 TO 10, AND UNOFFICIAL APPOINTED MEMBERSHIP DECREASING FROM 30 TO 22. ADDITION A REVIEW WAS PROMISED FOR 1987 TO CONSIDER WHAT FURTHER CHANGES SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN 1988. THIS, TOGETHER WITH THE PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE 24 INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS, DIFFERED FROM THE PROPOSALS IN THE GREEN PAPER, WHERE A REVIEW IN 1989 AND THE INTRODUCTION OF ONLY 12 INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS WERE SUGGESTED. THERE CHANGES DEMONSTRATED THE WILLINGNESS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO ACT ON CONSTRUCTIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
23.
THE FIRST ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WERE HELD ON 26 SEPTEMBER 1985 (SIX OF THE 24 NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ELECTED UNOPPOSED). THE TURN-OUT RATE FOR THE ELECTORAL COLLEGES WAS 98.5 PER CENT: FOR THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES IT WAS 57.6 PER CENT, RANGING FROM 97.2 PER CENT IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES CONSTITUENCY TO 45.1 PER CENT IN THE INDUSTRIAL CONSTITUENCY. THE NEW COUNCIL MET FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 30
OCTOBER 1985 IN A NEW COUNCIL CHAMBER.
24.
THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS THE APEX OF THE THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. IN CONSTRUCTING THIS FRAMEWORK FOR MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SOUGHT TO. ESTABLISH CLOSE LINKS BETWEEN THE THREE LEVELS. URBAN COUNCILLORS SIT ON THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS: REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL SIT IN THE REGIONAL COUN MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND OF THE TWO SECOND LEVEL COUNCILS SIT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOGETHER WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL THE MAJOR FUNCTIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND SECTORS OF HONG KONG SOCIETY. THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE IS THUS REPRESENTATIVE AND CLOSELY KNIT: IT IS SUPPLEMENTED BY A NETWORK OFVER 400 ADVISORY BODES: IT HAS EVOLVED S A RESULT OF A CONTICONSULTATIVE PROCESSBETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.
25.
LOOKING AHEAD TO DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS THE PUBLIC WILL BECONSULTED ON ECOMMENDATIONS STEMMING FROM A REVIEW CARRIED OUT IN 1985 OF SYSTEMS PROVIDING FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. ONE POSSIBILITIES
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