TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 227

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TELNO 2606

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INFO! IMMED HATE PEKANG

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O G JUL 1987

MY TELNO 25761 STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT: LONGER TERM MSSUES

AT THIS MORNING'S MEET ANG EXCO DISCUSSED THE THREE DRAFT NOTES ON THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, THE EXECUTANE AND THE LEGISLATURE. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO DISCUSS THE COVERING PAPER.

2.

THE MAIN PORNTS RAKSED BY MEMBERS ARE SUMMARIZED BELOW:

THE CHIEF EXECUTRINE

(A)

AS A GENERAL COMMENT MEMBERS RECOMMENDED THAT, NN DISCUSSING THE POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (C.E.), THE PAPER

SHOULD DISTINGUISH MORE CLEARLY BETWEEN THE EXISTING

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE GOVERNOR AS:

(PM)

(AM)

HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT SEMICOLON

PRESIDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SEMICOLON AND

(H) PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(B) PARAGRAPH 4 : SEVERAL MEMBERS CONSIDERED THAT THE PROCEDURES SUGGESTED FOR ELECTION OF THE C.E. PLACED TOO MUCH POWER WN THE HANDS OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. HIT WAS SUGGESTED THAT A MORE OPEN NOMINATION SYSTEM WOULD BE PREFERABLE, WITH A CHECK AGAINST FRIVOLOUS PROPOSALS PROVIDED BY A REQUIREMENT THAT POTENTINAL CANDIDATES SHOULD OBTAIN THE SUPPORT OF (SAY) 50 MEMBERS OF THE

GEC, EITHER BY ITSELF OR FOLLOWING NOMINATION BY (SAY) ANY 100 ORDINARY REGISTERED ELECTORS. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PAPER SHOULD REFER TO BOTH OPTIONS BUT INDICATE A PREFERENCE FOR AN OPEN

NOMINAT HON SYSTEM.

(C)

PARAGRAPH 6 : MEMBERS CONSIDERED THAT THIS PARAGRAPH

NEEDED TO BE EXPANDED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE TERM OF OFFICE OF

TH C.E. SHOULD PREFERABLY BE SOMEWHAT LONGER THAN THAT OF THE

LEGISLATURE AND THAT, WHEN NECESSARY, IT SHOULD ALSO BE STAGGERED

SO AS NOT TO END ON THE SAME DAY AS THAT OF THE LEGISLATURE.

REFERENCE SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED TO THE NEED TO PROVIDE A SYSTEM

FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR OR AN ACTING

GOVERNOR WHEN NECESSARY (MEMBERS CONSIDERED THE IDEA OF A FULL-TIME

DEPUTY GOVERNOR BUT REJECTED IT ON THE GROUNDS OF CREATING

UNHEALTHY RIVALRY BETWEEN THE

AND THE DEPUTY).

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