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THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL
AS WELL AS THE REGIONAL AND DISTRICT LEVELS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL WILL BE OF GREAT
SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE FUTURE.'
PURPOSE OF GREEN PAPER WAS TO SUGGEST HOW THE CENTRAL
INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG MIGHT BE MADE MORE REPRESENTATIVE IN A WAY WHICH WILL MAKE THE GOVERNMENT MORE
DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG: AND TO INVITE
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF AND COMMENT ON THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN IT.'
10.
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GREEN PAPER PROPOSED:
(A) INTRODUCTION OF SUBSTANTIAL ELECTED ELEMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (LEGCO), WITH ELECTIONS IN 1985 OF 6 MEMBERS BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE OF DISTRICT BOARDS, URBCO
AND NEW REGCO: AND 6 MEMBERS BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES
REPRESENTING GROUPS SUCH AS LAWYERS, LABOUR, COMMERCE AND
INDUSTRY.
(B) AT NEXT ELECTIONS IN 1988 THE 12 ELECTED MEMBERS
WOULD BE INCREASED TO 24.
(C) REVIEW IN 1989 OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.
(D) ELECTION BY LEGCO OF SOME OF THEIR MEMBERS TO EXCO
FROM 1988 ONWARDS.
GREEN PAPER FOLLOWED AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND
CONSULTATION.
11.
WHITE PAPER OF NOVEMBER 1984 RECOGNISED THAT PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER HAD BEEN 'GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF THE
AIMS OF THE GREEN PAPER AND THE GRADUAL AND PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE PROPOSALS MADE IN IT. THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE PROSPERITY
AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG ARE NOT PUT AT RISK BY INTRODUCING TOO
MANY CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES TOO RAPIDLY WAS WIDELY RECOGNISED.'
WHITE PAPER RECOGNISED NEED TO ACHIEVE BALANCED SPREAD OF
CONSTITUENCIES FOR MEMBERS ELECTED BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND
THEREFORE PROPOSED TO INCREASE NUMBER FROM 6 TO 12 FOR 1985 ELECTIONS: ALSO, NEED TO REPRESENT MAJOR SECTORS OF COMMUNITY REQUIRED 12 RATHER THAN 6 FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES IN 1985:
COMMERCIAL (2), INDUSTRIAL (2), FINANCIAL, LABOUR (2), SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION LEGAL, MEDICAL AND ENGINEERING. AS A RESULT,
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