TNAG-1373-FCO40-1819-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 30

ཀཱWཝོ' ས༠7, TFཅ་་ -་་,་ རྣམ་

3. The aim of the proposals was to develop progressively a system of government, the authority for which would be firmly rooted in Hong Kong, which would represent authoritatively the views of the people of the territory and which would be more directly accountable to the people of Hong Kong. In preparing the White Paper, the Hong Kong Government recognised the need to keep in mind the provisions of the agreement on the future of the territory. Publication of the White Paper was preceded by a two month period of public consultation during which the Government received a wide range of, mainly favourable, comment on the aims of the Paper. The need to preserve the prosperity and stability of the territory by ensuring that constitutional

change whilst progressive was also gradual, was widely recognised and the proposals were considered by many people

to be a realistic and practical framework for the

development of representative government at the

level.

central

4.

The

White Paper was approved by the Council (LEGCO) in January of this year.

5.

Legislative

The elections to LEGCO, held on 26 September, went off

well if predictably. Media attention was considerable and

public interest encouraging.

The majority of the

candidates returned were

members of the professional

classes,

figures and experienced in

all well-known

community service. Turnout varied from almost 100% in the

electoral college to a lowest turnout of 45% in one of the

two functional constituencies for the industrial sector.

The Hong Kong Government's polling arrangements appear

have been executed smoothly and without hitch.

6.

to

The 1987 review will consider possible further

developments in the composition and method of selection of

of LEGCO and Executive Council (EXCO) in 1988 and

the question of direct elections and the position

of the Governor in relation to EXCO and LEGCO.

members

beyond,

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