SECRET
053067
MDHIAN 6989
AN ISSUE WHICH HAS ATTRACTED WIDE PUBLIC INTEREST IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE URBAN COUNCIL. THE URBAN COUNCIL IS AN EFFECTIVE BODY WHICH SERVES THE PEOPLE WELL BY PROVID- ING A HIGH STANDARD OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES. BUT IS IS CLEAR FROM THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER THAT THERE IS A STRONG CURRENT
FEELING THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE URBAN DISTRIC BOARDS AND THE URBAN COUNCIL SHOULD BE IMPROVED. THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED
THAT THIS COULD BEST BE ACHIEVED BY ENABLING EACH OF THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS TO ELECT ONE MEMBER ONTO THE URBAN COUNCIL IN 1989, WHEN THE TENURE OF THE PRESENT URBAN COUNCIL EXPIRES. AT THE SAME TIME, URBAN COUNCILLORS WILL CEASE TO BE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS.
IN TAKING THIS DECISION, THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN VERY CAREFUL NOTE OF THE VIEWS OF URBAN COUNCILLORS, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM, IT MUST BE SAID, ARE OPPOSED TO THIS CHANGE. NEVERTHELESS, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO STRENGTHEN THE LINK BETWEEN THE URBAN DISTRICT
BOARDS AND THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THAT IT WILL IN TURN STRENGTHEN AND RATIONALISE THE LINKS BETWEEN THE THREE TIERS OF REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT. WE HOPE THAT, DESPITE THEIR PRESENT MISGIVINGS, URBAN COUNCILLORS WILL BE PREPARED TO GIVE THE NEW SYSTEM A CHANCE TO OPERATE IN THE INTERESTS OF ACHIEVING A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT
BOARDS.
SIR THE TITLE OF THIS WHITE PAPER HAS BEEN SELECTED WITH GREAT CARE. ITS PUPOSE IS TO CHART THE COURSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT BETWEEN NOW AND 1991, ADOPTING THE GRADUAL APPROACH WHICH HAS SERVED HONG KONG WELL, AND BUILDING ON THE FIRM BASIS OF THE EXISTING THREE TIER STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT.
THE DECISIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN THE WHITE PAPER HAVE TAKEN FULL ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC OPINION WHICH HAS BEEN EXPRESSED DURING THE 1987 REVIEW. INDEED, PUBLIC OPINION HAS BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE MINDS OF MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WHEN DECIDING HOW THE SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN
HONG KONG.
FURTHER CHANGES WILL BE NEEDED IN THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997 TO BRING HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SYSTEM INTO LINE WITH THAT DESCRIBED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND WITH THE PROVISIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BASIC LAW. I HAVE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUITY UPTO AND BEYOND 1997 AND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY WHICH WE CURRENTLY ENJOY AND WHICH IS PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT