TNAG-1157-FCO40-1437-Visits-by-FCO-Ministers-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 142

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1.6 The Unofficial members of EXCO and LEGCO form an

organisation, known as UMELCO, which has its own office and

staff and which acts as a forum for discussing matters of

current concern. While EXCO members are obliged to regard all

Council business as confidential, it is a function of LEGCO members to seck and react to public opinion on proposed legislation, and the UMELCO office provides them with one means of doing this. UMELCO also receives and investigates complaints from the public of maladministration by the civil service.

1.7 The only body participating in the Government of Hong Kong that consists entirely of members of the public is the Urban

Council (URBCO). 12 of its 24 members are elected; the

remainder are appointed by the Governor from among prominent members of the community. URBCO's responsibilities are limited

to the urban areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon

(where, altogether, about three-quarters of the population live). Its main duties are public hygiene, andthe control of

recreational and cultural facilities.

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1.8 District Boards (and associated District Management

Committees) have recently been established in 18 districts,

in the urban area and 8 in the New Territories. One third of

the membership of these Boards is elected on a constituency basis with adult suffrage (there are 900,000 registered electors), one third is appointed and one third consists of

Government Officials. The Boards provide advice on matters affecting the well-being of the people at a district level.

Elections were held for the first time in the New Territories in

March 1982, and in the urban areas in September 1982. About 50% of registered electors voted in the former, and 35% in the

latter.

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There are few organised political groups in Hong Kong. Two small, quasi-political organisations contest URBCO and now District Board elections, but they are really no more than pressure groups and their membership is limited to a small number of mainly middle-class Chinese and expatriates of no particular ideological background.

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