TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 150

54. THE GOVERNOR'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS DEALT

WITH IN CHAPTER 7.

55. SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE FROM TIME TO TIME THAT UNOFFICIALS MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS SHOULD PLAY

A GREATER PART IN THE ADMINISTRATION BY ASSUMING SOME SORT OF

EXECUTIVE ROLE, SIMILAR TO THE MINISTRIAL FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES IN OTHER COUNTRIES. LEAVING ASIDE THE

QUESTION OF WHETHER SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD BE SUITED TO THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, IT IS NOT PROPOSED TO PURSUE THIS IDEA

AT PRESENT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. AS WAS EXPLAINED EARLIER

(IN PARAGRAPH 27), IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PRESERVE THE STABILITY AND HARMONY OF THE COMMUNITY. THE PROPOSALS IN THE PAPER, WHICH ARE CONCERNED WITH THE METHOD SELECTION TO THE PRINCIPAL INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, THEMSELVES RPRESENT SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE, AND MUST BE ABSORBED BEFORE ANY CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT

ITSELF ARE INTRODUCED. SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS MAY BE CONSIDERED

AT A LATER STAGE, BUT THE PROPOSED NEW SYSTEM OF SELECTION MUST BE

IMPLEMENTED AND ALLOWED TO SETTLE DOWN FIRST.

CHAPTER 7 THE GOVERNOR

56. AT PRESENT THE CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT AS GOVERNOR IS SELECTED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND IS APPOINTED BY HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. THE GOVERNOR PERFORMS FOUR MAIN FUCTIONS

(A) HE HAS THE ULTIMATE DIRECTION OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG:

(B) HE APPOINTS THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS:

(C) HE IS PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: AND

(D) HE PRESIDES OVER THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

57. THE GOVERNOR WILL CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED BY THE QUEEN AND BE HER REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG UNTIL 1997. HOWEVER, IT IS CONSIDERED THAT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF MAKING THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AS A WHOLE MORE REPRESENTATIVE, THE PROCESS OF SELECTING THE CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT AS GOVERNOR SHOULD BE CHANGED, IN DUE COURSE, SO THAT HIS AUTHORITY WILL BE DERIVED FROM THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND HE WILL BE ULTIMATELY ACCOUNTABLE

TO THEM.

58. IT IS THEREFORE PROPOSED THAT IN 1992, AFTER THE PROGRESSIVE CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DESCRIBED IN CHAPTERS 5 AND 6 OF THIS GREEN PAPER HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED FOR THE SELECTI00 OF THE CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT AS GOVERNOR THROUGH AN ELECTORAL PROCESS. TO THIS END IT IS PROPOSED THAT HE SHOULD BE ELECTED BY AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE COMPOSED OF ALL THE ELECTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE

SECRET-13

COUNCILS.

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