Full Translation of Part IV of An Interview with Senior Exco Unofficial Sir S.Y. Chung on Basic Law and Representative Government Published in Ming Pao on Friday, September 20, 1985
Writer: Margaret Ng
Main Headline: Sir S.Y. Chung speaks on Basic Law and representative
government
Text:
Q: You are not too worried about a ministerial system, great reservations on direct elections. Why?
but you have
A: A ministerial system would naturally develop and we would not be able to stop this trend. But we could still have some degree of control over direct elections.
Q: I would like to probe further the ministerial system. What are the differences between a "minister" and a "branch secretary"?
A:
Secretaries will be appointed by China in the future as set out in the Joint Declaration which says: "Principal officials (who are equivalent to secretaries) will be nominated by the chief executive of
But the HK SAR for appointment by the Central People's Government." under a ministerial system, ministers are chosen through methods such as election or consultation among Legco members. Therefore, ministers must be Legco members. Unless the secretaries appointed by China happen to be Legco members, secretaries could not attend Legco meetings. At the same time, as Legco is a decision-making body, secretaries who are not members of the council could not take part in the decision-making process. They would only be officials responsible for executive functions, while ministers would be councillors with decision-making power.
Sub-headlines: The difference of a "minister" and a "secretary" lies
in the question of whether they have the right to make decisions
(Answer continues)
In this respect, HK's future political system might resemble the US system more than that of the UK. In Britain, ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister to be responsible for policies of government departments. They are, at the same time, Members of Parliament and can therefore take part in the decision-making process. The minister of
As the finance submits the budget proposals to Parliament direct. ruling party has the majority of seats in Parliament, the draft budget
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