5.
SECRET
HONG KONG ALREADY HAS EXPERIENCE OF THE FIRST METHOD OF
ELECTION, (W.E. BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, AND IT APPEARS THAT
THUS FORM OF ELECTION HAS GENERAL SUPPORT WITHIN THE COMMUNKTY.
THERE IS LESS GENERAL SUPPORT IN HONG KONG FOR THE PRESENT SYSTEM
OF ELECT MONS BASED ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTANTUENCIES OF THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE. IT HAS BEEN CRITICISED BY SOME WHO CONSIDER THAT NOT ALL DISTRICTS ARE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED, AND THAT IT GIVES DINSTRICT BOARD AND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL MEMBERS TOO MUCH INFLUENCE IN
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. MIT HAS BEEN CRITICISED BY OTHERS AS BEING
NO GOOD SUBSTITUTE FOR A SYSTEM OF DIRECT ELECTION ON A GEOGRAPHICAL
BASIS. THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM SHOULD BE RETAINED AND FURTHER DEVELOPED, OR SHOULD BE REPLACED INSTEAD, BY A SYSTEM OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS ONE
OF THE ISSUES PUT FORWARD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE 1987 REVIEW.
6. THE IDEA THAT A PROPORTION OF THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT BE
ELECTED BY A BROADLY BASED GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE** (GEC) (PARAGRAPH 4(C)) HAS EMERGED IN THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION ON THE
DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW. IT HAS ALSO BEEN PUT FORWARD IN THE
GREEN PAPER : THE 1987 REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS EN REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT AS A MATTER FOR DISCUSSION FOR THE LONGER TERM.
SPECIFICALLY, PARAGRAPH 110 OF THE GREEN PAPER STATES THAT A
CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FURTHER THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION WOULD BE
REQUIRED ON ISSUES SUCH AS THE EXACT COMPOSINTHON AND MEMBERSHIP OF
SUCH A COLLEGE THE PROPORTION OF MEMBERS TO BE ELECTED BY INT AND
THE PROCEDURES TO BE ADOPTED FOR NOMINATHING AND ELECTING CAND-KATES.
AS SUGGESTED IN PARAGRAPH 10 OF NOTE 1 ONE OPTION WOULD BE FOR
THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO PRESENT TO THE GEC A LIST OF HIS NOMINEES
FOR ELECT NON TO THE LEGISLATURE. TO PROVIDE FOR A FAIR ELECTION,
WITH A GENUINE CHOICE BETWEEN CANDIDATES, THE NUMBER OF
CANDIDATES NOMINATED WOULD NEED TO BE GREATER THAN THE NUMBER OF
SEATS AVAILABLE.
7.
WHICHEVER COMBINATION OF METHODS OF ELECTION ARE CHOSEN-,:
AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERAT MON. WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT THE VIEWS OF ALL
SECTORS OF THE POPULATION ARE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED *WN THE
LEGISLATURE. IF THE LEGISLATURE WERE COMPOSED OF THE THREE GROUPS
OF MEMBERS INDICATED IN PARAGRAPH 4 ABOVE HT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE
TO ENSURE THAT SUCH AN OBJECTIVE WERE MET N THAT :
(A) REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FUNCT KONAL CONSTITUENCIES WOULD SPEAK
FOR THE MAJOR TERRITORY-WIDE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL BODES
IN SECTORS CRUCIAL TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOC-HAL WELL BEING OF THE
COMMUNITY:
(B) MEMBERS ELECTED BY GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCHES WOULD PROVIDE BALANCED REPRESENTATION OF THE VIEWS OF ORDENARY RESINDENTS:
SECRETO ORDE
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