XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARI 9, 1985

+FIRST, THE REVIEW WILL CONSIDER WHAT FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1988 AND BEYOND SHOULD BE CONTEMPLATED INCLUDING WHETHER AND, IF SO, WHEN, AT LEAST A PROPORTION OF THE COUNCIL'S MEMBERSHIP SHOULD BE MADE UP OF MEMBERS DIRECTLY, AS OPPOSED TO INDIRECTLY, ELECTED, SECONDLY, THE REVIEW WILL CONS IDER POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE POWERS, COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, INCLUDING WAYS AND BETWEEN MEANS OF DEVISING A LINK - AND THE EXTENT OF THAT LINK THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME FORM OF MINISTERIAL SYSTEM. THIRDLY, THE REVIEW WILL CONSIDER WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE ANY CHANGES IN THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR IN RELATION TO BOTH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. AND, FOURTHLY, THE REVIEW WILL CONSIDER THE NEED FOR, AND TIMING OF, ANY FURTHER REVIEW OR REVIEWS.

PUBLIC REACTION TO THE WHITE PAPER

+PUBLIC REACTION TO THE GOVERNMENT PLANS ANNOUNCED IN THE WHITE PAPER HAS BEEN GENERALLY FAVOURABLE, AS EVIDENCED BY REPORTS IN THE MEDIA AND COMMENTS MADE BY MANY MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CLAIMS FOR REPRESENTATION THROUGH ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, FROM SUCH ORGANISATIONS AND GROUPS AS THE HEUNG YEE KUK, THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS, RELIGIOUS BODIES, THE MEDIA, SOCIAL WORKERS, CIVIL SERVANTS AND ETHNIC MINORITIES. THESE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BUT, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO ACCEPT THEM, AT ANY RATE AT THIS STAGE.

+THERE CLEARLY HAS TO BE SOME LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WHICH CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO START WITH. MOREOVER, HAVING REGARD TO THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS WHOLE EXERCISE, A CAREFUL BALANCE HAS TO BE STRUCK BETWEEN THE VARIOUS COMPONENT ELEMENTS - ELECTED, APPOINTED, OFFICIAL - THAT WILL MAKE UP THE NEW COUNCIL. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE CLAIMS OF THESE ORGANISATIONS AND GROUPS ARE WITHOUT MERIT, OR THAT THEY ARE UN IMPORTANT, LET ALONE THAT THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY IS NOT RECOGNISED. THE INTERESTS OF SOME OF THESE ORGANISATIONS AND GROUPS WILL NO DOUBT BE REFLECTED THROUGH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE OR APPOINTED BY YOU, SIR. IN ANY CASE, THE REVIEW IN 1987 WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER WHETHER ANY ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED.

/+SINCE THE