TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 270

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ANY NEW ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE ARISEN.

11.

AT PRESENT WE ENVISAGE THAT THE PRINCIPAL ISSUES ON WHICH

THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC ARE SOUGHT WILL BE:

(I)

(II)

WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER CHANGES IN THE

COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, BY INTRODUCING A

SYSTEM OF DIRECT ELECTIONS AND/OR ALTERING THE RELATIVE

PROPORTION OF APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS:

WHETHER THE GOVERNOR SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE PRESIDENT OF

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

SUBSIDIARY ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED MAY INCLUDE THE ROLES AND

RELATIONSHIPS OF THE LOWER-LEVEL BODIES: DETAILED ELECTORAL

PROCEDURES: AND A POSSIBLE LOWERING OF THE VOTING AGE FROM 21 TO

18.

12.

WHERE DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE CONCERNED, THE 1984 WHITE

PAPER NOTED LITTLE EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT FOR THEIR IMMEDIATE

INTRODUCTION. IT SUGGESTED THAT A CAUTIOUS APPROACH MIGHT

INVOLVE INTRODUCING A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED

MEMBERS IN 1988.

THE STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG ON THE 1987 REVIEW

13.

THE ISSUE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS CONTINUES TO ATTRACT THE

GREATEST PUBLIC INTEREST. VIEWS ARE DIVIDED. THOSE STRONGLY IN

SUPPORT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS MAINTAIN THAT THEY ARE THE ONLY WAY OF

ENSURING THE EVOLUTION OF A GENUINELY REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT,

CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING THE QUOTE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY UNQUOTE

PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. THOSE AGAINST ARGUE THAT

THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IS NOT READY FOR SUCH A DEVELOPMENT,

WHICH COULD BE DESTABILISING. THE DEBATE IS NOW FOCUSSING

INCREASINGLY ON THE TIMING OF THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT

ELECTIONS AND THE PROPORTION OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE

SELECTED BY THIS METHOD. THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN AN ACCEPTANCE,

EVEN AMONG 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 THEM IN 1988.

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