15. THERE ARE 2 FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES
WHICH RETURN A TOTAL OF 12 MEMBERS. THEY ARE MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS WITH RECOGNISED PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (E.C. DOCTORS, LAWYERS, ENGINEERS) OR WITH SPECIFIC ORGANISATIONAL AFFILIATIONS (E.G. CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, TPADE UNIONS). THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSISTS OF TWELVE CONSTITUENCIES, TEN MADE UP OF THE MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND ONE EACH FROM THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS. UNLIKE THE **FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES CAN ELECT ANYONE IN HONG KONG WHO IS A REGISTERED ELECTOR AND HAS BEEN RESIDENT FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS. IN FACT, TEN SEATS ARE FILLED BY DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE OTHER TWO BY A MEMBER EACH FROM THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS.
MAIN ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED
16. THE 1984 WHITE PAPER WILL BE THE STARTING POINT FOR THE 1987 REVIEW. THE REVIEW MUST ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES LEFT OVER FROM THE WHITE PAPER AS WELL AS ANY NEW ISSUES WHICH HAVE ARISEN SINCE ITS PUBLICATION.
17. THE PRINCIPAL ISSUES ON WHICH THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE SOUGHT ARE:
(A) WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND, SPECIFICALLY, FURTHER CHANGES IN THE RELATIVE PROPORTION OF APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS.
(B) WHETHER A SYSTEM OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE INTRODUCED (THE 1984 WHITE PAPER SUGGESTED THAT A CAUTIOUS APPROACH IN THIS DIRECTION MIGHT SEE A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS BEING INTRODUCED IN 1988'') SEMICOLON AND
(C) WHETHER THE GOVERNOR SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
18. THE REVIEW MAY NEED TO COVER OTHER SUBSIDIARY ISSUES INCLUDING:
(A) THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS SEMICOLON
(B) WHETHER FURTHER CHANGES IN DETAILED ELECTORAL PROCEDURES ARE DISIRABLE SEMICOLON
(C) WHETHER THE VOTING AGE SHOULD BE LOWERED FROM 21 TO 18 YEARS, FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION THAT THE AGE OF LEGAL MAJORITY SHOULD BE LOWERED TO 18.
13. SOME OF THE ABOVE ISSUES, IN PARTICULAR THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE GOVERNOR SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, ARE LIKELY TO ATTRACT MUCH MORE INTEREST THAN IN 1984. CLAIMS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DAYA BAY
CONTROVERSY THAT HIS TWO ROLES CONFLICT: AND THERE IS HEIGHTENED PUBLIC
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