XN000022-1988-04-09 — Page 3

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