OF 7 PERCENT. À NOTABLE FEATURE HAS BEEN THE SHARP REVIVAL,
AGAINST PREDICTIONS, OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO CHINA. TRADE PERFORMANCE IN EUROPE HAS ALSO BEEN MOST ENCOURAGING,
6. THE PUBLIC'S REACTION HAS BEEN TO REVERT TO NORMAL
PRE-OCCUPATIONS: TRANSPORT, EDUCATION, HOUSING AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. ALLOWANCES FOR DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, THE RESTORATION OF HANGING, TEST TUBE BABIES ARE, ALONG WITH SPECULATION ON GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS, THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION.
A NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS ADVOCATE THE APPOINTMENT OF A DEPUTY
GOVERNOR, TO SHARE THE LOAD AT THE TOP, THE ARGUMENT IS MADE ON GROUNDS OF BOTH PRACTICAL NEED AND A REQUIREMENT FOR CONTINUITY AT
DIFFICULT TIME. Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27 (1)...
7. EXCO WERE INITIALLY UNSETTLED BY SIR E YOUDE'S DEATH AND BY THE
NUMBER OF PERSONNEL CHANGES IN THE PIPELINE.
HOWEVER
ON THIS WEEKS'S SHOWING THE COUNCIL IS BACK ON AN EVEN KEEL. IT
WORKED ITS WAY THROUGH A HEAVY AGENDA OF IMPORTANT BUSINESS.
8. EXCO UNOFFICIALS ARE LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDER AT LEGCO, WHERE
THE SITUATION IS FAR FROM EASY. APPOINTED MEMBERS FIND THEMSELVES
UNDER CRITICAL PRESSURE FROM A GROUP OF THEIR ELECTED COLLEAGUES. MARTIN LEE IN PARTICULAR TAKES THE VIEW THAT ELECTION (IRONICALLY IN HIS CASE FROM AN ELITE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY) ENTITLES ONE
TO QUICK POWER OR AT LEAST A SPECIAL VOICE (VIDE THE LETTER TO MR RENTON FROM ELECTED UNOFFICIALS, SEPARATE FROM THEIR COLLEAGUES, ON THE QUALITIES REQUIRED IN A FUTURE GOVERNOR). WE HAVE NOTED A
TENDENCY BY LEGCO UNOFFICIALS TO TAKE OVER MONITORING TECHNICAL
SUBJECTS E.G. IN THE HOUSING, EDUCATION AND TRANSPORT FIELDS, IN PARALLEL WITH THE TRADITIONAL, HONG KONG CONSULTATIVE APPARATUS. THIS REFLECTS MEMBERS' PERCEPTION OF THEIR CHANGING RESPONSIBILITIES.
TO THAT EXTENT THE PROCESS IS NATURAL AND PREDICTABLE. BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF A MAJORITY PARTY SYSTEM, IT ALSO HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT WHICH NEED CAREFUL WATCHING, WE ARE SEEING A NOT ENTIRELY UNEXPECTED, IF UNSTRUCTURED, ATTEMPT TO SHIFT THE PRESENT BALANCE BETWEEN EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATURE. AS A
PRACTICAL MATTER THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO HANDLE TENSIONS BETWEEN
ADVISORY CONSULTATIVE BODIES (TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ETC) AND THE RELEVANT OMELCO PANELS.
FUTURE TESTS.
9. SUCH POLITICAL MANOEUVRES WILL CONTINUE IN 1987. THAT IS NOT
TO SAY THAT IT WILL BE A BAD YEAR. THERE IS MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD
TO IN THE PRACTICAL SPHERE.
10. BUT THERE WILL BE SOME DIFFICULT TESTS. AT THIS STAGE THE
MAIN ONES IN THE FIRST THREE TO FOUR MONTHS LOOK LIKE BEING THE GREEN PAPER AND JLG VI. ON THE TRADE SIDE THERE IS THE REAL THREAT
OF US PROTECTIONIST LEGISLATION WHICH IN ITS MOST REACTIONARY
FORM COULD BE EXTREMELY DAMAGING FOR HONG KONG.
(A) GREEN PAPER: FAMILIAR VOICES CONTINUE TO BE HEARD: LORD KADOOR IE AGAINST DIRECT ELECTIONS, POLITICAL SCIENCE LECTURERS
FOR. A POLL AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY SHOWS A STRONG CURRENT AMONG
STUDENTS IN FAVOUR OF 1/4 TO 1/2 DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO SEATS IN 1988. MORE INTERESTING, DESPITE HER PRESENT CLOSENESS TO CHINA, ELSIE ELLIOT, (WHOSE CRITICISMS OF THE 1960'S HAVE LONG BEEN
OLD HAT BUT WHOSE ATTITUDES STILL WEIGH WITH THE GRASS ROOTS) HAS
NOW GONE PUBLIC ON THE NEED FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS PERHAPS 25 PERCENT IN 1988 MOVING TO PERHAPS AS MUCH AS 100 PERCENT BY 1997.
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