TNAG-1440-FCO40-1924-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 34

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(a)

the reduction of the voting age

the voting age from twenty-one to

eighteen years.

Assessment of present opinion

The Governor

6.

It was stated in the 1984 White Paper that the Governor will continue to be appointed formally by the

by

Queen until 1997 and there was strong public support for this. The White Paper said that any proposals for change in the position and role of the Governor would need to take into account the provisions of the Joint Declaration and

important

it

was

stated that

these

of the

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

President as

Council Legislative

(see paragraph 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 their Own Members of the Legislative Council from among number. Such a change could be introduced progressively in two stages. For example, the first presiding officer might be appointed by the Governor

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

to proposal

was

noted

that

although

the

the

replace

in favour of making no

Governor as presiding officer was, on the whole, reasonably well received the general view was significant change in the immediate future.

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