TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 138

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A DEVELOPMENT, WHICH COULD BE DESTABILISING.

HOWEVER THE DEBATE

IS NOW FOCUSSING INCREASINGLY ON THE TIMING OF THE INTRODUCTION

OF A DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT, (ON AN ASSUMPTION THAT THIS WILL

COME AT SOME POINT BEFORE 1997) AND ON THE PROPORTION OF

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE SELECTED BY THIS METHOD. THERE

SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN AN ACCEPTANCE, EVEN AMONG MANY OF THE MORE

CONVERSATIVE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL GROUPINGS, THAT THE DIRECT

ELECTION OF UP TO 25 PER CENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE

TOLERABLE: AND MIGHT NEUTRALISE DEMANDS FOR EVEN MORE RADICAL

CHANGE. HOWEVER BUSINESS GROUPS ARE IN PRIVATE BECOMING

INCREASINGLY DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE WISDOM OF INTRODUCING A DIRECTLY

ELECTED ELEMENT IN 1988.

15.

DESPITE RECENT CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE ROLE OF

APPOINTED MEMBERS THERE IS STILL A WIDE MEASURE OF PUBLIC SUPPORT

FOR RETENTION OF A SIGNIFICANT APPOINTED ELEMENT IN THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THE SYSTEM OF INDIRECT ELECTIONS BASED ON

FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES IS ALSO GENERALLY SUPPORTED, AND THERE

ARE CALLS FOR ITS FURTHER EXPANSION.

10.

THERE IS LESS UNANIMITY OF VIEW ON THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

AS A BASIS FOR INDIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND TWO REGIONAL COUNCILS WILL

PROBABLY SUPPORT ITS RETENTION, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THEM WITH

DIRECT ACCESS TO MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. HOWEVER

THERE IS CONCERN THAT MEMBERSHIP OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS TOO

NARROWLY-BASED. IF THE CONCEPT IS TO BE RETAINED THERE IS A

WIDESPREAD FEELING THAT THE SYSTEM OF ELECTION SHOULD BE CHANGED

TO AVOID THE UNPLEASANT FACTIONAL RIVALRIES WITHIN DISTRICT

BOARDS WHICH DEVELOPED IN 1985.

17.

THE QUESTION OF THE POSSIBLE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ROLES

OF THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD OF THE EXECUTIVE AND AS PRESIDENT OF THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS BEING ACTIVELY DEBATED IN THE MEDIA AND BY

ACADEMICS AND POLITICAL COMMENTATORS. IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER THE

ISSUES INVOLVED ARE WIDELY UNDERSTOOD WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IF

THE PRESENT POSITION IS TO BE CHANGED, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO

CONSIDER CAREFULLY HOW TO ALLOCATE THE POWERS NOW EXERCISED BY

THE GOVERNOR AS PRESIDENT, WHICH INCLUDE POWERS EXERCISED IN THE

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