TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 283

THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE SEEN TO BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THE

GOVERNMENT AND ARE CONSULTED BY IT ON MANY MAJOR POLICY ISSUES.

5. NEVERTHELESS, THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS REMAINS ADVISORY.

THERE HAS BEEN NO DEVOLUTION OF EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY FROM CENTRAL TO

LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL. THE EXCEPTIONS TO THIS GENERAL STATEMENT ARE

THE STATUTORY AUTHORITIES VESTED IN TWO AUTONOMOUS BODIES : THE

URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS. THE URBAN COUNCIL (WHICH WAS

RECONSTITUED FROM THE FORMER SANITARY BOARD IN 1936) HAS WIDE -

RANGING STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROVIDING MUNICPAL SERVICES

IN THE URBAN AREAS OF HONG KONG AND KOWLOON SUCH AS STREET CLEANING, REFUSE COLLECTION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD HYGIENE (INCLUDING THE LICENSING OF RESTAURANT AND MARKETS) AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND

MANAGEMENT OF RECREATIONAL, SPORTING AND CULTURAL AMENITIES.

IT BECAME FINANCIALLY AUTONOMOUS IN 1973, WITH ITS INCOME DERIVED MAINLY FROM A SHARE OF THE RATES PAID SY PROPERTY OWNERS. THE

REGIONAL COUNCIL, WITH SIMILAR RESPONSIBLITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES

WAS FORMALLY ESTABLISHED IN APRIL 1986.

6. A PROPORTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL HAVE BEEN

DIRECTLY ELECTED SINCE 1987. INITIALLY, VOTING WAS ON A LIMITED

FRANCHISE, RESTRICTED MAINLY TO RATEPAYERS. THE INTRODUCTION OF ELECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS, IN 1982, LED TO A BROADENING

OF THE FRANCHISE TO INCLUDE ALL ADULTS OVER 21 YEARS OF AGE WHO

HAD BEEN ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG FOR AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS.

IN HONG KONG TERMS, THIS EQUATES WITH UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.

7. GENERALLY, HOWEVER, THE SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT HAS

DEVELOPED BY MEANS OF THE GOVERNMENT SELECTING AND APPOINTING MEN

AND WOMEN OF HIGH CALIBRE AND EXPERIENCE TO THE VARIOUS

CONSULTATIVE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES. THE PROCESS HAS THUS RELIED

HEAVILY ON DRAWING CAPABLE PEOPLE INTO THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

BECAUSE, IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ESTABLISHED POLITCIAL TRADITION,

THEY WERE UNLIKELY ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE TO SEEK OUT SUCH

INFLUENCE.

8. THE ADVENT OF ELECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE

PROADENED FRANCHISE FOR THE TWO COUNCILS HAS CHANGED THE SITUATION

AND AN ELEMENT OF COMPETITION FOR POLITICAL INFLUENCE HAS BEEN

INTRODUCED. NEVERTHELESS, APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF ALL DISTRICT

BOARD MEMBERS AND ONE-HALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THE URBAN AND REGIONAL

COUNCILS ARE STILL APPOINTED. THE RETENTION OF AN ELEMENT OF

APPOINTED MEMBERS HAS HELPED TO MAINTAIN EXPERIENCE AND CONTINUITY,

AND THERE IS NO STRONG PRESSURE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO PHASE

THEM OUT ALTOGETHER. THIS IS PARTLY BECAUSSE POLITICS, AS SUCH,

IS NOT PERCEIVED AS A FULL-TIME OR CAREER OCCUPATION IN HONG KONG,

THE MOST ABLE AND HIGHLY-MOTIVATED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY

PURSUING PROFESSIONAL AND COMMERCIAL CAREERS IN ADDITION TO THEIR

WORK ON BOARDS, COMMITTEES OR COUNCILS.

THE 1984 GREEN AND WHITE PAPERS.

Confidential

19.