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BILL, WHICH WILL NEED TO BE BOTH IN CHINESE AND ENGLISH. BUT IT IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL AND COULD SAFELY BE INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO AFTER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY.
5. IF WE CAN MEET THIS DEADLINE, AND IF EXCO IS CONTENT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE THE AMENDMENT BILLS INTO LEGCO ON 13 JANUARY, WHICH IS THE ONLY LEGCO SITTING THAT MONTH BECAUSE OF THE CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY. THE BILLS WOULD BE GAZETTED, AND THEREFORE BECOME PUBLIC, ON 8 JANUARY.
PACKAGING
6.
LEAVING ASIDE THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION, THERE ARE TWO POSSIBLE APPROACHES TO THE HANDLING OF THE SIX AMENDMENTS REQUIRED: EITHER WE CAN PUT THEM ALL INTO ONE SINGLE AMENDMENT BILL OR DIVIDE THEM INTO TWO SEPARATE BILLS, ONE OF WHICH WOULD DEAL WITH THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSALS ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND THE OTHER OF WHICH WOULD DEAL WITH THE REMAINING FOUR PROPOSALS.
7. THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS LATTER APPROACH IS THAT IT MAY ENABLE US TO GET THE LESS CONTROVERSIAL AMENDMENTS THROUGH MORE QUICKLY. THE DISADVANTAGE IS THAT IT MAY ENCOURAGE LEGCO TO DELAY ITS DECISIONS ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. IT MAY ALSO PROVIDE AN EXCUSE FOR SOME OF OUR LESS STEADFAST SUPPORTERS TO SUPPORT ONLY THE LESS CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSALS BUT NOT THE TWO MORE CONTROVERSIAL ONES.
8.
WE ARE SOUNDING OUT THE UDHK AND SOME OF OUR INDEPENDENT SUPPORTERS ON THE PACKAGING ASPECTS. THEIR INITIAL ADVICE IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THE PROPOSALS THROUGH IF THE SIX AMENDMENTS ARE GROUPED IN A SINGLE BILL. WE WILL CONSIDER THIS POINT FURTHER, BUT WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY VIEWS YOU MAY HAVE.
WHITE BILL
9. WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED THE OPTION OF PUBLISHING A WHITE BILL ON OUR PROPOSALS FOR THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. THIS IS IN EFFECT A CONSULTATION DOCUMENT WHICH WOULD CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS WITHIN A STIPULATED PERIOD. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF PURSUING THIS APPROACH WOULD BE TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE FAILING TO SURVIVE A SECOND READING DEBATE IN LEGCO. IT WOULD ALSO ARGUABLY SHOW THAT
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