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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
150 LEGCO
Elected by functional constituencies
Appointed by the Governor
Official Members
Elected by direct election by regional constituency:
HK Island
Kowloon East
Kowloon West
New Territories East
New Territories West
NOTES
1991 1994 1997
1985 1988
12 14 20
22
14
12 10 5
2 4 2 2 2 2
58 68 68
*1. Future of Regional Councils should be reviewed before 1990; the various options could be:
(a) Retain 2 regional councils; or
(b) Abolish the regional councils; or
(c) Combine the 2 regional councils into a territory-wide city council; or
(d) Expand the regional council system so as to have say five regional councils: Island, Kowloon East, Kowloon West, New Territories East, New Territories West. The future role of the District Boards should also be reviewed in depth.
2. The first stage in having an Unofficial to be Presiding Officer in LegCo should be in 1986, and the second stage in 1988.
EXCO
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
Elected by LegCo 2 4 6 8 10 12
Appointed by Governor 12 10 6 2
Ex-officio members 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
NOTES
1. A ministerial system to be introduced progressively commencing 1986.
MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE, VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, seconded (in English): Mr. Chairman, In seconding the adoption of your motion, I, like many others, am encouraged by the strong and unequivocal recommendation by those who negotiated the Agreement on our behalf, as evidence of their firm belief in the workability of the Agreement. It is worthwhile reiterating what it says and I quote-'an international agreement of this kind is the highest form of commitment between two sovereign states'. That Hong Kong is a hostage to a historical fact of life is abundantly clear, and the alternative to this Agreement, as spelt out in paragraph 29 of the Introduction, is no choice at all.
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In my commercial experience, the best agreement is that which spells out all the rights and obligations of both parties to it, is then signed and sealed, carefully pigeon-holed, and hopefully seldom ever referred to. This requires confidence and sincerity on two sides who both have the same objective.
A minor, but nevertheless significant example of a good and workable agreement, with which all members of this Council are familiar, is the Memorandum of Administration Arrangements between the Hong Kong Government and this Council. Signed in 1973, after tough negotiations in a Working Party, in which our senior member, Mr. Brook BERNACCHI, and myself participated. It has worked well in the interests of all concerned.
Because of the need to develop political and administrative talent to provide a strong central government with able local administrators within the next 13 years, our task now is to develop the younger generation for these administrative functions.
Over the years this Council has proved itself to be a most fertile nursery to bring on talented leaders. I believe we can achieve a great deal more, now and in the future, to develop able young members of the community, into taking an active part in the administration of local affairs, so that they would have gained enough administrative experience within the next decade to serve in our future local government.
This Council has always made an important and vital contribution to the working of the urban section of the Territory and has much to offer its future government. Its role should be expanded, and membership widened, so that future Councillors may receive first-hand experience, working closely with the Urban Services Department, of the problems of operating a city administration, before taking on the headier task of running the whole show.
Those of us who have spent almost a lifetime in Hong Kong, working both in commerce and for the community, look forward to an advisory role to our younger colleagues in the future. Although advice based on experience is not always welcome, if given and received in the right spirit, it can avoid making the same mistake over again.
In my nearly 40 years in Hong Kong, I have seen it face many challenges, which have been overcome by the energy, dedication, and optimism of its population, working towards a better lifestyle for themselves and their families. The future held out by the basic premise in this Agreement should ensure that this goal, achieved by many millions who came voluntarily to Hong Kong, will still be attainable in the future.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English): Mr. Chairman, I feel greatly relieved that the Sino-British Agreement has been initialled, thanks to the steadfast determination of both countries to reach a mutually beneficial understanding.
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