For decision
on 20 February 1990
CONFIDENTIAL
Annex A
Blue Vol XXXX (4)
XCX (90) 13
Copy No.
MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
1991 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL :
THE PRESIDENCY AND PARTICIPATION BY OFFICIALS
THE PROBLEM
By
1997, the whole of the Legislative Council will be constituted by election and the President will be elected from among its Members. To facilitate a smooth transition, there a need to anticipate these major changes in deciding the composition of the 1991 legislature.
is
Ale
RECOMMENDATION AND ADVICE SOUGHT
2
It is
reconstituted in 1991
(a)
(b)
recommended that when
the legislature
is
appointed
be
should Member non-official a Deputy President (paragraphs 9 and 10); and
Officials (other than
ex officio Members)
should be able to participate in the Council's proceedings,
to vote the right
without
3
but
(paragraph 12)
Members
will be asked to
advise
whether this
recommendation should be approved in principle.
BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT Background
4
that
JD 49 and Article 67 of the draft Basic Law provide "The
Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be constituted by elections". According to Annex II of the draft Basic Law, there will be no official Members. Article 70 further provides
provides that "The President
the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be elected from among the members of the Legislative Council. In the interests of continuity, the composition of 1995 legislature will need to mirror these provisions.
advisable for the changes to be implemented gradually, with a start being made in 1991.
It would be
CONFIDENTIAL