SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1988
AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS GAZETTED
AMENDMENTS TO
HONG KONG'S
CONSTITUTIONAL
LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS, WERE NOTICE TODAY (SATURDAY).
THE INSTRUMENTS, PUBLISHED IN A GAZETTE
THESE AMENDMENTS WERE APPROVED BY THE PRIVY COUNCIL ON MARCH 23 THIS YEAR.
TO MAKE AMENDMENTS COUNCIL BY THE
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE INTENTION HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED IN A STATEMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON MARCH 9.
MADE:
HE SAID THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE LETTERS
*
*
PATENT HAD BEEN
IN THE WHITE FIRSTLY, TO IMPLEMENT THE DECISION ANNOUNCED
THE PAPER ON "THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT:
APPOINTED MEMBERS OF WAY FORWARD" TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
22 ΤΟ
20 COUNCIL
ΤΟ AND
MAKE A THE LEGISLATIVE
THE NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN FROM 24 TO 26.
FROM
BY
ACHIEVED
FUNCTIONAL HEALTH IN THE THE "FINANCE
AS ANNOUNCED IN THE WHITE PAPER, THIS WOULD BE THE ADDITION OF ONE SEAT IN THE EXISTING MEDICAL CONSTITUENCY (WHICH WILL BE RENAMED THE "MEDICAL AND CARE" CONSTITUENCY) AND BY THE ADDITION OF ONE SEAT FINANCIAL CONSTITUENCY (WHICH WILL BE RENAMED AND ACCOUNTANCY" CONSTITUENCY); AND
SECONDLY, TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES
AT
IN RETIREMENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR JUDGES ANNOUNCED BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE IN HIS ADDRESS THE OPENING OF THE LEGAL YEAR.
OF PURPOSE
THE CHANGES IN THE COUNCIL.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE MAIN ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS WAS TO ASSIST THE WORK OF THE LEGISLATIVE THE MAIN CHANGES WERE:
*
OF THE DUE
FIRSTLY, TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY IN SETTING THE DATE DISSOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH NEXT FALLS IN AUGUST THIS YEAR.
ON PRIOR TO THE AMENDMENT THE DISSOLUTION HAD TO TAKE PLACE
ANNIVERSARY OF A FIXED DATE (THE 90TH DAY BEFORE THE THIRD
THE LATEST
OF THE
COUNCIL
FOLLOWING
THE FIRST
SITTING
ELECTION).
UNDER THIS
PROVISION
LEGCO
ON HAVE DISSOLVED WOULD THIS ARRANGEMENT BREN FOUND
IT REASONS, VARIOUS
WOULD HAVE OF NEARLY THREE
AUGUST 1, 1988. NOT ONLY HAD UNDULY RIGID, BUT, FOR ENTAILED AN UNACCEPTABLY LONG DISSOLUTION MONTHS.
THE AMENDMENT