XN000022-1985-10-30 — Page 11

9

ON

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985

+THAT SOCIETY HAS EVOLVED AS A RESULT OF A CONSTANT CONSULTATIVE PROCESS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE COMMUNITY.

+THIS CONSULTATIVE PROCESS HAS BEEN A CARDINAL ELEMENT IN HONG KONG'S SUCCESS.

+THE GOVERNMENT FIRMLY INTENDS THAT IT SHOULD BE CONTINUED AND STRENGTHENED, SIR EDWARD SAID.

THE FUNCTIONING OF THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, THE GOVERNOR SAID, WOULD BE MONITORED BEFORE STOCK IS TAKEN AGAIN IN THE 1987 REVIEW.

THE REFORMS OF 1985 WERE BASED ON INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAD SERVED HONG KONG WELL AND PRESERVED THE BEST FEATURES OF THESE INSTITUTIONS.

IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BUILD A GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL WHICH WAS APPROPRIATE TO ITS OWN NEEDS AND IN HARMONY WITH ITS OWN TRADITIONS.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE 1987 REVIEW WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH, AMONG OTHER MATTERS, THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:

*

WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL,

* WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE DIRECT ELECTIONS,

*

WHAT SHOULD BE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS.

+ I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT, EVEN BEFORE THE REVIEW, THERE WILL BE MUCH PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THESE SUBJECTS, HE SAID.

NEW LEGCO AT APEX OF THREE-LEVEL GOVERNMENT

******

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN ITS NEW FORMAT WAS AT THE APEX OF THE THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, MADE UP ALSO OF THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY.

IN CONSTRUCTING THIS FRAMEWORK, GREAT CARE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO ESTABLISH CLOSE LINKS BETWEEN THE THREE LEVELS, HE SAID.

+URBAN COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT ON THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS. THERE WILL BE REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND OF BOTH SECOND LEVEL COUNCILS SIT IN THE CHAMBER,+ SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT.

/TO COMPLETE