(iii)
The BL does not define what a Functional
Common sense dictates
Constituency should be. it should be a group of electors defined by a common employment or other economic role. The
1988 Hong Kong Government White Paper also
stated clearly that functional constituencies
should represent economic and professional
sectors which are substantial and of importance
in the community.
Our proposals on functional constituencies will
not turn them into direct elections. The
essential feature of functional constituencies,
namely that people working in a particular sector will vote for and be represented by one of their number in LegCo, will remain. It is
very important to stress the fact that the vote will be confined to those working in a
particular sector. This distinguishes the
proposal from geographically based direct
elections.
FC elections not synonymous with indirect
elections. Again it is important to understand
many of the existing 21 FC seats are elected directly by individual voters e.g. Teaching, Legal, Engineering, Architectural, Surveying and
Planning, Accountancy constituencies.
To make all District Board members elected and to
abolish appointed members of Municipal Councils.
The BL does not require the retention of appointed membership of DB/MC nor how they are to be elected. Abolition of appointed seats a logical step as LegCo will be fully elected in 1995, and is a culmination of a gradual process of development of these bodies over many years