TNAG-1439-FCO40-1923-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 136

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8. A SINGLE CONTESTED ELECTION (OPTION (A) ABOVE) WOULD BE

UNLIKELY TO FIND FAVOUR IN HONG KONG, AT ITS PRESENT STATE OF

DEVELOPMENT SEMICOLON IT WOULD BE REGARDED AS A MAJOR AND

FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE AND AS TOO LIKELY TO LEAD TO HIGHLY CHARGED

ADVERSARIAL POLITICS AND THUS INSTABILITY.

9. AN ELECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE BY MAJORITY VOTE AMONG

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE (OPTION (B) ABOVE) WOULD BE AN EASILY UNDERSTOOD METHOD OF PRODUCING A CHIEF EXECUTIVE. IT WOULD CONFIRM

THAT HE ENJOYED THE CONFIDENCE OF THE LEGISLATURE WHICH WOULD

ASSIST THE CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENT. IT WOULD REQUIRE NO BODY ADDITIONAL TO THOSE REFERRED TO IN THE JOINT DECLARATION TO BE

ESTABLISHED, AND IS LIKELY TO BE FAVOURED BY MANY IN HONG KONG.

10. A WIDER CONSULTATIVE COLLEGE (OPTION (C) ABOVE) WOULD REQUIRE THE CREATION OF A NEW BODY FOR WHICH THERE IS NO PROVISION IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. THERE IS NO EXPERIENCE AVAILABLE ON WHICH A JUDGMENT COULD BE MADE OF HOW IT WOULD OPERATE. NEVERTHELESS, IT COULD FIND FAVOUR HN HONG KONG PROVIDING A CONSENSUS COULD BE ACHIEVED ON HOW IT SHOULD BE COMPOSED AND HOW IT SHOULD OPERATE, E.G. WHETHER IT WOULD MEET IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SEMICOLON WHETHER CANDIDATES COULD BE PRESENTED ONLY WITH THE SUPPORT OF MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE, AND IF SO HOW MANY SEMICOLON WHETHER THERE WOULD BE AN ELECTORAL PROCESS TO DECADE BETWEEN CANDIDATES #IF NO CONSENSUS COULD BE REACHED ON A SINGLE CANDIDATE, ETC. IT WOULD PROVIDE A WIDER BASIS OF SUPPORT FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND WOULD THUS GIVE HIM A GREATER DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE FROM THE LEGISLATURE.

11. HAVING BEEN SELECTED BY ONE OF THE PROCESSES ABOVE THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE HONG KONG SAR WOULD, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, BE APPOINTED BY THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT.

THE EXECUTIVE

12. THE JOINT DECLARATHON DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR ANY SPECIFIC MEANS OF CHOOSING THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE. MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ARE SELECTED BY THE GOVERNOR AND APPOINTED BY HMG.

13. THE SAR EXECUTIVE COULD BE FORMED IN ONE OF TWO WAYS:

(A) BY SELECTION BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE HIMSELF FROM AMONG, OR

OUTSIDE, THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATURE SEMICOLON

(B) N PART AT LEAST BY ELECTION FROM AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE

LEGISLATURE THEMSELVES.

14. THE FIRST ALTERNATIVE IS LIKELY TO PROVE THE SIMPLER SOLUTION WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THE LEAST CHANGE. IT WOULD GIVE THE EXECUTIVE

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At present