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6. THE ATTACHED NOTES CONSIDER THE ROLE WHICH MIGHT BE PLAYED IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR BY THE THREE MAIN
INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, NAMELY:
THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
THE EXECUTIVE
THE LEGISLATURE
(NOTE 1)
(NOTE 2)
Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1)
(NOTE 3)
i
NOTE 1 FOLLOWS ON FROM EARLIER CONSIDERATION (IN PAPER W OF
MAY 1986) OF THE METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND
HIS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS.
8. NOTE 2 EXAMINES, IN GREATER DETAIL THAN HITHERTO, THE ROLE AND COMPOSITION OF A FUTURE EQUIVALENT OF THE PRESENT EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE.
9. NOTE 3 FOLLOWS ON FROM EARLIER CONSIDERATION (IN PAPER OF
MAY 1986 AND NOTE 2 OF OCTOBER 1986) OF THE COMPOSITION AND
FUNCTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
10. NOTES 2 AND 3 BOTH TOUCH ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A
CLOSE AND CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE
LEGISLATURE IN THE INTERESTS OF ENSURING THAT GOVERNMENT BUSINESS CONTINUES TO BE CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY. THEY FOLLOW ON FROM EARLIER CONSIDERATION OF THIS POINT IN NOTE 1 OF THE PAPERS HANDED OVER
IN DECEMBER 1986.
11. IN ALL THREE NOTES REFERENCE IS MADE TO THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF
A BROADLY-BASED GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE'' (GEC). SUGGESTIONS FOR
SUCH A BODY HAVE EMERGED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DRAFTING OF THE
BASIC LAW. THE CONCEPT WAS ALSO TOUCHED UPON IN THE PAPERS OF MAY
AND OCTOBER 1986. THE IDEA THAT A PROPORTION OF THE LEGISLATURE
MIGHT BE ELECTED BY A GEC HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD AS A MATTER FOR
DISCUSSION FOR THE LONGER TERM IN THE GREEN PAPER: **THE 1987
REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT''.
THERE IS,
OF COURSE, NO EQUIVALENT BODY IN HONG KONG'S PRESENT SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, NOR ANY SPECIFIC PROVISION FOR SUCH A BODY IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE AT THIS STAGE TO PREDICT HOW THE
CONCEPT MIGHT BE RECEIVED. IN HONG KONG. AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN ENCOURAGING ITS ACCEPTANCE MIGHT BE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT SUCH A BODY WOULD NOT BE AN INSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT AS SUCH, BUT WOULD BE CONVENED ONLY AS REQUIRED TO CARRY OUT ITS SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.
IF SUCH A BODY SEEMED DESIRABLE THE POSSIBLE COMPOSITION AND
METHODS OF SELECTING MEMBERS WOULD REQUIRE FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
12.
IN PREPARING THE ATTACHED NOTES, THE BRITISH SIDE HAS TAKEN CAREFUL NOTE OF
ER
HT HAS ALSO KEPT FIRMLY IN MIND
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