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WEONE DAY, JULY 18. 1984
T
+ : CHANGE SHOULD BE PROGRESSIVE, HE SAID IF A WERE TO INTRODUCE
D RUN RECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NOW, WE SHL E RISK OF A SWIFT INTRODUCTION OF ADVERSARIAL POLITICS, AND AN EMENT OF INSTABILITY AT A CRUCIAL TIME. THE TIME FOR DIRECT
IONS MAY COME.+
UGGESTIONS THAT UNOFFICIALS SHOULD ASSUME SOME SORT OF FIVE ROLE SIMILAR TO MINISTERIAL FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY
REPRESENTATIVES IN OTHER COUNTRIES WOULD NOT BE PURSUED CCENT, SAID SIR EDWARD.
→IT MAY BE CONSIDERED AT A LATER STAGE AFTER THE NEW SYSTEM OF SELECTION HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND GIVEN TIME TO SETTLE DOWN.
+
ON THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD SAID: THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES IN THE ROLE OF GOVERNOR FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNOR'S POWER TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS WILL BE REDUCED: THE GOVERNOR'S PRESIDENCY OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS A FUNCTION UNCONNECTED WITH HIS OTHER FUNCTIONS, AND IT IS PROPOSED THAT HE SHOULD IN DUE COURSE BE REPLACED AS PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY A PRESIDING OFFICER SELECTED OR ELECTED FROM AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. BUT NOTHING BEYOND THAT IS PROPOSED AT THIS STAGE.
+ IN THE CASE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, CONVENTION HAS ALREADY MOD IF IED THE GOVERNOR'S EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO REFER MATTERS TO THE COUNCIL AND TO REJECT THE ADVICE OF THE
FORMAL COUNCIL: THIS RIGHT HAS NOT BEEN EXERCISED FOR MANY YEARS. CHANGES IN THESE POWERS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED AT A FUTURE TIME.
HOWEVER THE GREEN PAPER MAKES NO PROPOSALS ON THE GOVERNOR'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND HIS METHOD OR APPOINTMENT AS THESE MATTER REQUIRE FURTHER REFLECTION BECAUSE OF CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS, SAID SIR EDWARD.
IN CONCLUSION, HE SAID THE PAPER WAS A FURTHER STEP ON THE WAY TO ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM WHICH DERIVED ITS AUTHORITY FROM THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY AND TO ENABLE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO BECOME MORE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SELECTING THE IR GOVERNMENT.
+OUR PROPOSALS RECOGNISE THE COMPLEX BALANCE OF INTEREST WHICH LIES AT THE FOUNDATION OF HONG KONG'S SUCCESS. THEY RECOGNISE THAT THIS BALANCE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED THROUGH ADHERENCE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF STABILITY AND CONSENSUS. THEY ARE PROGRESSIVE, BUT GRADUAL; THEY SEEK TO MAINTAIN THE BEST FEATURES OF THE SYSTEMS WHICH SERVED HONG KONG IN THE PAST. AT THE SAME TIME, THE PROPOSALS RECOGNISE THE POLITICAL REALITIES OF HONG KONG,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
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