TNAG-1440-FCO40-1924-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 200

something

in

there is compelling the logic of this, no matter

how hard we

12

Someone has interpreted the appointment of the Chief Executive by the Central Government as Beijing sending a

new Governor

to Hong Kong to rule Hong Kong as Beijing's representative and called

This is wrong. The source of the this "one man ruling Hong Kong". Chief Executive's authority is entirely different from the Governor's source of authority. The Governor's authority is vested in him by

The Governor is the the "Letters Patent" and "Royal Instructions".

The

The

representative of the Queen and possesses supreme authority. Executive and Legislative Councils are only his advisers. people of Hong Kong has no right to participate in or interfere with the

The main characteristic of the whole appointment of the Governor. political system is that of a suzerain state issuing orders to a colony. The Governor is only accountable to the Queen and not to the people of Hong Kong. But the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR is chosen through election or consultations, with Hong Kong people taking part. The appointment is to be made by the central government because Hong

On the Kong's power of autonomy is vested by the central government. question of Hong Kong's sovereignty, the Chief Executive is accountable to the central government. But on the powers of autonomy as listed

might argue that there is de facto autonomy.

indeed

in the Basic Law, the Chief Executive is accountable to the Hong Kong people, i.e., to the organisation that selects him through election or consultations. How will the organisation for the selection of Chief

During Executive through election or consultations be constituted? the discussion on the Basic Law, we can canvass public opinions and draw on pooled ideas to work out a solution.

The legislature

The power of Hong Kong's future legislature should not be limited only to being adviser to the Chief Executive or a royal "public opinion tool" like the colonial legislature. should have a restrictive power on the executive and also the power of supervision, financial control and enactment of legislation. The Basic Law shall stipulate that the legislature be constituted by election. This will be a revalutionary reform away from the colonial appointed yes legislature system. Public opinions reflected by the legislature after

1997 will not concentrate on reflecting the views of a certain sector

......