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CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 326
OF 030825Z FEBRUARY 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HKGO LONDON, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
pw. Rouez Leglo
065375
MDLIAN 2030
1
HKGO LONDON PERSONAL FOR YAXLEY
OUR TELNO 131 AND 297: REVIEW OF ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS: LEGCO SELECT COMMITTEE
SUMMARY
1. THE LEGCO SELECT COMMITTEE TO REVIEW ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR ON 30 JANUARY. IT HAS INITIALLY AGREED TO A WORK PROGRAMME THAT INCLUDES, INTER ALIA, THE COMPOSITION OF LEGCO IN 1995.
DETAIL
2. THE LEGCO WORKING GROUP TO PREPARE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE SELECT COMMITTEE MET ON 27 JANUARY TO DISCUSS THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE. BEFORE THE MEETING, JIMMY MCGREGOR, EMILY LAU AND DR C H LEONG HAD ALREADY WRITTEN TO THE GOVERNOR SUGGESTING THAT, ONLY AN ELECTED MEMBER SHOULD BE APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE IRRESPECTIVE OF LEGCO'S NOMINATION. (UNDER LEGCO STANDING ORDERS, THE AUTHORITY TO APPOINT THE CHAIRMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF A LEGCO SELECT COMMITTEE LIES WITH THE GOVERNOR AS PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL.)
3. DURING THE MEETING, MCGREGOR, SUPPORTED BY SZETO WAH, QUERIED THE SUITABILITY OF HAVING AN APPOINTED MEMBER TO CHAIR A REVIEW ON ELECTORAL MATTERS. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY DIRECTED AT SELINA CHOW WHO SPOKE CRITICALLY OF THE LIBERAL ELECTION CANDIDATES AT LAST YEAR'S DEBATE OF THE GOVERNOR'S ANNUAL ADDRESS. AFTER A SOMEWHAT HEATED DEBATE AMONG THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, CHOW DECIDED TO DECLINE BEING NOMINATED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE. RON ACRULLI (FROM THE REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY AND, LIKE CHOW, ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CO-OPERATIVE RESOURCE CENTRE) WAS NOMINATED UNOPPOSED. A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH THE SELECT COMMITTEE WAS PASSED BY LEGCO ON 29 JANUARY. GOVERNOR APPOINTED TH COMMITTEE ACCORDING TO LEGCO'S NOMINATION
ON 30 JANUARY.
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