TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 226

GR 500

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 17084OZ MAY 84

TO PRIORITY BRUSSELS

TELEGRAM NUMBER 10 OF 17 MAY

HICK 011/3

RECE VEN IN RUQASTRY

TOR DW983/

PA

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, CG NEW YORK, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, FCO

FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES.

REF

HKG/GT/61

SUBJECT

STATEMENT BY SHA ON GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION

YOU HAVE EACH SEPARATELY RECEIVED COPIES OF BRAY'S SPEECH IN LEGCO ON 16 MAY CONCERNING GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION IN HK. THERE FOLLOWS BELOW FURTHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND POINTS TO MAKE, IF NECESSARY.

POINTS TO MAKE

(1) THE PURPOSE OF THE STATEMENT WAS TWO FOLD:

- TO SAY THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PROCEEDING WITH THE PROPOSED REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE OTHER PROPOSALS MENTIONED BY THE

CHIEF SECRETARY ON 15 FEBRUARY 1984:

- TO CONFIRM THAT PROPOSALS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A MORE

REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WERE BEING DRAWN UP AND WOULD APPEAR IN DUE COURSE IN A GREEN PAPER FOR

PUBLIC COMMENT.

(2) THE PUBLIC WAS ALLOWED 3 MONTHS TO COMMENT ON THE PROPOSALS, SO THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THEIR BEING HURRIED THROUGH.

(3) THE ONLY AREA OF CONTROVERSY WAS THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL. THE OTHER PROPOSALS WERE GENERALLY

WELCOMED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

REGISTRY

(4) THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE PROPOSED NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL WAS NOT ABOUT WHETHER SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES SHOULD COME UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A COUNCIL THIS WAS AGREED - BUT WHETHER THERE WAS A NEED FOR A NEW COUNCIL PARALLEL TO THE URBAN COUNCIL (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) OR WHETHER A SINGLE COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE OVER SUPERVISION OF THESE SERVICES FOR THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG. THE URBAN COUNCIL PROPOSED THE LATTER. WHILE QUITE FEASIBLE, THE CONCEPT OF ONE COUNCIL WAS OPPOSED BY THE HEUNG YEE KUK AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. MOST URBAN AREA DISTRICT BOARDS PREFERRED A SEPARATE COUNCIL FOR AREAS NOT COVERED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL. IN THE LIGHT OF THE DESIRE FOR A NEW COUNCIL, GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL. LEGISLATION WILL BE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH, FIRST, THE PROVISIONAL

COUNCIL AND THEN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

CONFIDENTIAL

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