XN000022-1991-10-09 — Page 5

+

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1991

"A THOROUGH REVIEW HAS BEEN MADE OF HOW TO DO THIS.

"THE

TO

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S PROCEDURES ARE BEING STREAMLINED ALLOW ITS MEMBERS TO CONCENTRATE MORE, AND EARLIER, ON THE ESSENTIAL ISSUES," HE SAID.

ON THE LEGCO MEMBERS' WISH TO REVIEW THE WAY IN WHICH THE COUNCIL ITSELF WAS ORGANISED AND CONDUCTED ITS BUSINESS, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WOULD BE UP TO MEMBERS THEMSELVES TO DECIDE ON STANDING ORDERS AND PROCEDURES.

THE LEGCO'S

ADMINISTRATION'S

"BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE FULL CO-OPERATION IN THE SEARCH FOR NEW OR IMPROVED WAYS OF CARRYING OUT YOUR LEGISLATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

SIR DAVID SAID THESE CHANGES WHICH HE HAD OUTLINED WERK ONLY THE IMMEDIATE AGENDA.

FURTHER CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN 1995.

THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WOULD THEN BE ELECTED, AT LEAST ONE THIRD OF THEM BY DIRECT ELECTION.

"MEMBERS WILL CHOOSE THEIR OWN PRESIDENT. THE SYSTEM OF APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL CEASE. THERE WILL BE NO CIVIL SERVANT MEMBERS.

"THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS WILL BE INCREASED! SO WILL THE NUMBER OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. SOME MEMBERS WILL BB RETURNED BY AN ELECTION COMMITTEE," HE CONTINUED.

то PREPARE FOR 1995, THE GOVERNOR SAID A REVIEW OF THE ENTIRE ELECTORAL SYSTEM WAS BEING UNDERTAKEN. IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR.

AMONG THE MAIN ISSUES то BE CONSIDERED WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION.

"A COMMISSION OF THIS SORT COULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR REGULATING ELECTORAL PROCEDURES INCLUDING CANVASSING RULES, THE ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN ELECTIONS AND THE QUESTION OF ELECTION EXPENSES, HE SAID.

**

THERE WERE OTHER KEY QUESTIONS TO BE TACKLED.

OF

"OUR ELECTORAL RULES ARE NOW SCATTERED THROUGHOUT A VARIETY ORDINANCES. WE NEED A COHESIVE FRAMEWORK OF ELECTORAL LEGISLATION;" SIR DAVID SAID.

DECISIONS WERE ALSO NEEDED ON SUCH IMPORTANT ISSUES AS FIXING ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES AND THE AGE AT WHICH YOUNG PROPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

"LATER, WHEN WE HAVE BUILT UP EXPERIENCE OF HOW THE COUNCIL IN ITS NEW FORM OPERATES, WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER TO DISCUSS WITH CHINA THE PRECISE COMPOSITION OF THE DIFFERENT ELECTED IN 1995, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

FURTHER ELEMENTS

/FURTHER, HE

[