TNAG-1440-FCO40-1924-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 124

SECRET

ASSESSMENT OF PRESENT OPINION

THE GOVERNOR

6.

will

It was stated in the 1984 White Paper that the Governor

continue to be appointed formally by The Queen until

1997 and there was strong public support for

for this. The

White Paper said that any proposals for change in the

position and the role of the Governor would need to take

into account the provisions of the Joint Declaration and it

was stated that these important issues would be considered

at a later stage. There has been little comment in Hong Kong on the position of the Governor in general, except as President of the Legislative Council (see para 7 below), and

his position is not expected to be raised except in that

context.

THE GOVERNOR AS PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

7.

It was originally proposed (in the Green Paper of July

1984) that the Governor should be replaced, in due course,

by a presiding officer elected by the unofficial members of

the Legislative Council from among their own number. Such a

change could be introduced progressively in two stages. For

example, the first

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 be elected by the members of the Legislative

Council. In the White Paper it was noted that although the

proposal to replace the Governor as presiding officer was,

on the whole, reasonably well received the general view was

in favour of making no significant change in the immediate

future.

8. There is, however, a potential conflict, which has been

commented on in the Press, between the role of Governor as

Chief Executive and as President of the Council. As Chief

Executive he is

of the

responsible for the policies

SECRET