WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1984
PROPOSED LEGCO ELECTIONS BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES EXPLAINED
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THE PROPOSAL FOR SIX MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO BE LECTED BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES IS A SORT OF HALFWAY HOUSE ETWEEN UNRESTRICTED DISCRETION IN APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR AND ELECTION BY A MORE CONVENTIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY.
THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY, SAID THIS WHEN ADDRESSING THE ROTARY CLUB KOWLOON WEST LUNCHEON MEETING TODAY TO STIMULATE PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON WHETHER APPOINTED MEMBERS SHOULD BE RETAINED IN 1991.
MR BRAY EXPLAINED THAT THE EXISTING APPOINTED SYSTEM IS NOT ARBITRARY,
+ THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IS REPRESENTATIVE OF A VERY BROAD CROSS SECTION OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY EVEN THOUGH THE SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY REPRESENTED AND THE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY THE GOVERNOR. THEY ARE TYPICAL HONG KONG PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.
THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY IS CONCEIVED AS A CONSTITUENCY WHICH COMPRISES A SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS NOW REPRESENTED IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
*THE CHANGE FROM THE APPOINTED SYSTEM IS THAT THE CONSTITUENCY
THAT IS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NOT BY THE WILL BE DEFINED IN LAW GOVERNOR, HE SAID.
+THIS HAVING BEEN DONE, THEN THOSE COMPRISING THE CONSTITUENCY WILL ELECT THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVE INSTEAD OF THE SELECTION BEING MADE BY THE GOVERNOR. THOSE PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY NOT INCLUDED AMONG THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE REPRESENTED THROUGH THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM AT LEAST FOR THE PRESENT,+ HE ADDED.
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ALTHOUGH WORK ON THE DETAILED PROVISIONS OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WAS NOT COMPLETE, MR BRAY OUTLINED THE POSSIBILITIES BEING EXAMINED.
+ IT SEEMS PROBABLE THAT THERE WILL BE TWO SORTS OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY - NAMELY ONE COMPOSED OF INDIVIDUALS AND ONE COMPOSED OF CORPORATE BODIES, HE EXPLAINED.
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TO ILLUSTRATE THE KIND OF ARRANGEMENT THAT EXISTS TODAY TO ENABLE A LARGE NUMBER OF CORPORATE BODIES TO PRODUCE A SMALL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATIVES, MR BRAY REFERRED TO THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF ELECTION ADOPTED BY THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD.
THIS NON-STATUTORY BODY PROVIDES SIX SEATS FOR LABOUR REPRESENTATIVES, FOUR OF WHICH ARE SELECTED BY ELECTION AND THE REMAINING TWO BÝ DIRECT APPOINTMENT BY THE GOVERNOR. EACH OF THE 385 REGISTERED EMPLOYEE TRADE UNIONS IS ENTITLED TO ONE VOTE IRRESPECTIVE OF SIZE.
/NOMINATIONS FROM