TNAG-1287-FCO40-1638-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 71

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Chapter 7 The Governor

57.

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

functions

(a) he is responsible

ultimate

direction

government in Hong Kong;

for

the

of

the

he appoints the members of the Executive

(b)

and

Councils;

(c) he

is

President

(a)

Legislative

of

the

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Legislative Council; and

he presides over the Executive Council.

to

The Governor will continue

be appointed formally by the Queen and to be her representative in Hong Kong until 1997. He will also continue to be responsible for the direction of government in Hong Kong.

59.

However, if the

the proposed system of indirect elections of the Unofficial members of the Legislative Council is adopted the Governor would no longer retain his power to appoint all the Unofficial members of that Council. Similarly, if the majority of the Unofficial members of the Executive Council are to be elected by the members of the Legislative Council, the Governor's power to appoint members of the Executive Council would be limited to two members.

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Unofficial

members of the If

As regards his position as President of the Legislative Council, it is for consideration whether he should be replaced, in due course, by a Presiding Officer elected by the Legislative Council from among their own number. this idea were to be pursued, it is also for consideration whether such a change should be introduced progressively in two stages. For example, the first Presiding Officer might be appointed by the Governor

after consultation with the Unofficial members of the

Legislative Council, but thereafter the Presiding Officer might

elected by the members Legislative Council every three years.

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be

Even if the Governor were to cease

to

of

the

to

be

President of the Legislative Council, it is envisaged that he would continue

attend upon the Council to deliver an Annual Address to the Council in his role as Chief Executive at the opening of each new Session; and