TNAG-1286-FCO40-16372-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong.-Part-2-of-2-1984 — Page 12

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The commission on public policy of the HX Christian Council urged X's 200 000 Protestants to speak up on the Paper, which it described as mild, progressive and rational, but lacking in originality. The commission said it was preparing an opinion paper

for Vaelco.

Legeo Unofficial Selim Chow said the Paper had not tackled the process by which the chief executive was selected or elected and if or how his power would differ from that of the present governor, If HK me to hare seif rule, the advisory status of the two councils would have to be changed to given them a monitoring function, so that they became responsible and accountable to the public.

Other public comments reported in the English-language press came from Education Action Group vice-chairwan Big Ming-you shỏ said direct elections was the most arguable point in the Paper; Urbco member Samuel Fong said the Lagco soste should be expanded to 50 by 1985 and the number of santa for functional constituencies should be raised to 10; Erie Tang wrote in the SCH Post that the proposed representative.government could more or less pave the way for democratic administration run by BK people; and Lagco Unofficial Chan Ting-lus ssid (5.8) the goverament was unlikely to extend the consultative period for the Greed paper. Commentator Dr Margaret g said the Papar omitted one vital aspect for reform

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- the need to restructure the relationship between Exeo and Lagco. The question of Legeo and whether direct elections were held was not as important as changing the existing structure in which Breo had the

finl my,

Kwun Tong D8 (6.8) criticised the proposal for elections to Lagco by functional constituencies. Most mambers said the proposal was ambiguous and some were worried that it would create ill feeling among those professions which were excluded from the right to elect their representatives. They also said the two mouth consultation period for the Green Paper should be extended to enable more raaidents to study the issue and air their views.