TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 58

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62. IN THE CASE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR WILL CONTINUE TO PRESIDE OVER ITS PROCEEDINGS IN THIS CAPACITY AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG. HOWEVER, ONCE THE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS HAVE BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED, THE QUESTION WILL ARISE OF WHETHER THE GOVERNOR'S PRESENT POWERS IN RESPECT OF COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS SHOULD BE REVIEWED. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WILL NEED TO BE DECISIONS ON WHETHER HIS POWER TO DECIDE WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND TO ACT IN OPPOSITION TO THE ADVICE OF THE COUNCIL, - A POWER RARELY, IF EVER, EXERCISED, SHOULD, FOR MATTERS WITHIN THE COUNCIL'S COMPETENCE, BE REMOVED.

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63/64. THE FUTURE METHOD OF SELECTING CANDIDATES FOR APPOINTMENT AS GOVERNOR WILL ALSO NEED TO BE CONSIDERED. IT WOULD BE THE NATURAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF, IN HIS CAPACITY AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE, TO BE SELECTED, ONCE THE PROCESS DESCRIBED IN THIS PAPER IS COMPLETE, THROUGH AN ELECTIVE PROCESS, FOR EXAMPLE THROUGH ELECTION BY A COLLEGE COMPOSED OF ALL UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AFTER A PERIOD OF CONSULTATION AMONG THEM. BUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH A CHANGE IN THE GOVERNOR'S POWERS (PARAGRAPH 62 ABOVE), AND IN THE METHOD OF SELECTION, FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG, FOR HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND FOR THE FUTURE GENERALLY, AND ALSO THE TIMING OF ANY CHANGE WOULD NEED TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BEFORE ANY DECISIONS COULD BE REACHED. NO FIRM PROPOSALS ON THIS QUESTION HAVE THEREFORE BEEN MADE IN THIS PAPER.

CHAPTER 8 CONSLUSION

65. THE PROPOSALS DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER 5 AND 6 OF THIS GREEN PAPER MAY BE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS -

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (CHAPTER 5)

(A) ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE FOR A SUBSTANTIAL

NUMBER CF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO BE ELECTED INDIRECTLY

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(1) BY AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE COMPOSED OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE URBAN

COUNCIL, THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND

(11) BY SPECIFIED FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

(B) A NUMBER OF APPOINTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SHOULD BE RETAINED ON

THE COUNCIL, FOR THE TIME BEING.

(C) THE NUMBER OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE

GRADUALLY REDUCED.

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(D) TO START WITH, THESE ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN TWO

STAGES IN 1985 AND 1988 - FOLLOWING THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS IN THOSE YEARS.

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/(E)