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011421 MDHIAN 0511
EACH.
(B) THE POSITION OF FORMER EXCO AND LEGCO MEMBERS. THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE INCLUSION OF THESE TWO GROUPS, SET OUT IN PARA 11 OF THE DRAFT PAPER, WERE NOTED. HOWEVER, FORMER MEMBERS OF THE TWO COUNCILS WERE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT AND IT WOULD SEEM WRONG TO DENY THEM A ROLE IN THE GEC, PARTICULARLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A PROPORTION OF THE LEGISLATURE. IN ANY CASE THEIR INFLUENCE IN THE GEC WOULD BE DILUTED BY THAT OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES OF MEMBERS, AND THE ARGUMENT ABOUT NUMBERS GROWING RAPIDLY WOULD NOT STAND UP ASSUMING THAT THEY WOULD, LIKE THE OTHER CATEGORIES, ELECT THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVES TO FILL A PRE-DETERMINED NUMBER OF SEATS.
5. MEMBERS ALSO MADE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON POINTS OF DETAIL:
(A) SUITABLE CRITERIA WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADMITTING UNDESIGNATED BODIES. WE SHOULD NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, ACCEPT ASSOCIATIONS OF UNREGISTERED DOCTORS OR ILLEGAL HAWKERS.
(B) APPENDIX 1 APPEARED TO GIVE UNDUE WEIGHT OF REPRESENTATION TO THE NEWS MEDIA.
(C) THE ILLUSTRATIVE TIMETABLE AT APPENDEX 2 WAS WORKABLE FOR ELECTIONS FOLLOWING NORMAL END-OF-TERM DISSOLUTION, WHICH WOULD BE A PREDICTABLE EVENT. FOR ELECTIONS FOLLOWING DISSOLUTION IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, MORE TIME WOULD BE NEEDED TO ENABLE CANDIDATES TO PLAN AND CARRY OUT CAMPAIGNS.
6. WE SHALL NOW START REDRAFTING THE PAPER IN THE LIGHT OF EXCO'S COMMENTS. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO RECEIVE THE DETAILED COMMENTS PROMISED IN YOUR TELNO 2159 BEFORE WE GO TOO MUCH FURTHER.
WILSON
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