XN000022-1984-07-18 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1984

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+ THE INTENTION IS THAT, BY 1991, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE COMPOSED OF AT LEAST EIGHT MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, TWO MEMBERS APPOINT BY THE

VERNOR AND FOUR EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS: HOWEVER, THESE NURS HT BE MODIFIED IN THE LIGHT OF THE REVIEW IN 1989 OF E COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

SIR EDWARD DESCRIBED THE DEVELOPMENTS WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN RECENT YEARS IN GOVERNMENT AND WHICH HAVE INCLUDED DISTRICT BOARD AND URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE APPOINTMENT OF URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

+WE NOW NEED TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP WHICH IS TO CONSIDER NOT ONLY THE COMPOSITION OF THE TWO CENTRAL COUNCILS, BUT THE METHOD OF SELECTING THE IR MEMBERS, SAID SIR EDWARD.

+THIS IS THE OBJECT OF THE GREEN PAPER. PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN IT ARE THESE:

THE AIMS OF THE

+FIRST, TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN OUR COMMUNITY; ON WHICH THE VIEWS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE FULLY REPRESENTED; AND WHICH IS MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONGĮ

+SECOND, TO DEVELOP THIS SYSTEM PROGRESSIVELY, BUILDING ON OUR EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, AND ON OUR WELL-ESTABLISHED PRACTICE OF GOVERNMENT BY CONSENSUS; AND

+THIRD, TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PROPOSALS TO BE TESTED AGAINST THE EXPERIENCE WE GAIN IN IMPLEMENTING THEM: TO THIS END IT IS PROPOSED TO REVIEW THE POSITION IN 1989 BEFORE DECIDING THE DIRECTION AND TIMING OF ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM. +

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT OPERATES ON THE BASIS OF CONSULTATION AND CONSENSUS. THIS OPERATED THROUGH REGIONAL AND DISTRICT REPRESENTATION AND OCCUPATIONAL, OR FUNCTIONAL, INTEREST REPRESENTATION. IT WAS INTENDED TO BUILD ON THIS TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR THE ELECTION OF A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCILS RETAINING, FOR THE TIME BEING, SOME APPOINTED UNOFFICIALS.

ON SUGGESTIONS FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS, SIR EDWARD SAID: + IN HONG KONG IT IS CLEARLY ESSENTIAL THAT STABILITY SHOULD BE MAINTAINED. MOREOVER, OUR SPECIAL POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT; AND OUR SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATION MUST GIVE FULL WEIGHT TO THOSE INTERESTS ON WHICH OUR PRESENT POSITION AS A LEADING INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL CENTRE IS BASED, AND WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR FUTURE PROSPERITY.+

/CHANGE SHOULD