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IN DIFFERENT YEARS. THERE WAS LITTLE PUBLIC RESPONSE ON THIS
POINT: BUT THE BALANCE OF IT WAS AGAINST SUCH A CHANGE.
54.
SUBMISSIONS TO THE SURVEY OFFICE AND PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS
INDICATED THAT A CLEAR MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY DID NOT FAVOUR
CHANGING THE LENGTH OF TERMS OF OFFICE FOR ELECTED MEMBERS OF
DISTRICT BOARDS, MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
HOWEVER MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF THESE BODIES WHO SPOKE ON THE
SUBJECT DID WISH TO CHANGE FROM A THREE-YEAR TO A FOUR-YEAR TERM.
65.
THESE ISSUES ARE AFFECTED BY THE ARRANGEMENTS SET OUT IN
CHAPTER IV AND V OF THIS WHITE PAPER, BY WHICH THE DISTRICT BOARDS WILL EACH ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE TO ONE OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS,
AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS WILL EACH ELECT A MEMBER TO THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THIS SYSTEM WOULD CLEARLY WORK BEST IF
ELECTIONS TO THE SUCCESSIVE TIERS OF GOVERNMENT WERE TO FOLLOW IN
SEQUENCE AND IF THE TERMS OF OFFICE AT ALL THREE LEVELS WERE OF
EQUAL LENGTHS.
56. THE GOVERNMENT HAS THEREFORE DECIDED:
(A) THAT ELECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE MUNICIPAL
COUNCILS AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE HELD IN
THAT ORDER:
(B)
THAT ALL THREE SETS OF ELECTIONS SHOULD BE HELD WITHIN
THE SPACE OF TWELVE MONTHS: AND
J
67.
(C)
THAT THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF DIFFERENT GROUPS OF
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS SHOULD NOT BE STAGGERED.
THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO BE THREE YEARS FOR THE TIME BEING. THE
LATEST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW ENVISAGED A FOUR-YEAR TERM FOR THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. IF THE
BASIC LAW DOES PROVIDE FOR THIS THE QUESTION OF INTRODUCING
CHANGE BEFORE 1997 WILL THEN BE EXAMINED.
/
SUCH A
DISTRICT
68. SOME INTERIM ADJUSTMENTS TO THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF THE
BOARDS AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ARE NECESSARY TO PREPARE FOR THE
NEW SEQUENCE OF ELECTIONS. ACCORDINGLY, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS NEXT TERM WILL LAST FROM APRIL 1989 TO MARCH 1991. THE TERM OF
THE DISTRICT BOARDS BEGINNING IN MARCH 1991 WILL ALSO BE ADJUSTED SO THAT, IN THE NEXT SET OF ELECTIONS TO BE HELD AFTER 1991,
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