TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 77

IN

WOULD BE EITHER PRACTICAL OR APPROPRIATE TO INCLUDE, AS A

CATEGORY OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE GEC, UNDER LINE NEXT WORD CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE. WHILE IT WOULD, PRINCIPLE, BE PRACTICAL TO INCLUDE FORMER MEMBERS OF BOTH BODIES, THE NUMBER OF SUCH MEMBERS WOULD TEND TO GROW RAPIDLY OVER TIME,

AND MIGHT UPSET THE BALANCE OF REPRESENTATION ON THE GEC AS A

WHOLE.

12. IT WOULD, NEVERTHELESS, BE BENEFICIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT

PROPORTION OF MEMBERS OF THE INCOMING LEGISLATURE TO BE EX-OFFICIO

NEMBERS OF THE GEC AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION OF THE CHIEF

EXECUTIVE - THEREBY HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THE CANDIDATE

SELECTED ENJOYED SUPPORT AMONG MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AS A

WHOLE. THIS COULD BE MADE POSSIBLE IF ELECTIONS TO THE NEW

LEGISLATURE (OTHER THAN THOSE BY THE GEC ITSELF) WERE HELD A LITTLE

BEFORE THE ELECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE. A POSSIBLE SEQUENCE

OF ELECTIONS UNDER SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT IS ILLUSTRATED AT

APPENDIX 2.

OPERATING PROCEDURES TO BE ADOPTED BY THE GEC

13. IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO DEVELOP GENERAL PROCEDURES GOVERNING

BOTH THE CONVENING OF THE GEC AND ITS OPERATION. THESE MIGHT

PROVIDE :

(A) FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO BE EMPOWERED TO CONVENE THE GEC,

SUBJECT TO DUE NOTICE BEING GIVEN TO THE BODIES ENTITLED TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO IT SEMICOLON

(B) FOR THE REGISTRATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GEC - AND ALL OTHER

MATTERS CONCERNING THE HOLDING OF ELECTIONS TO THE POSITION OF

CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND TO THE SAR LEGISLATURE - TO BE DEALT WITH BY

AN INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION TO BE ESTABLISHED

UNDER THE LAWS OF THE SAR SEMICOLON

(C) FOR THE GEC TO MEET AND UNDERTAKE ITS ACTIVITIES AS F

R AS

POSSIBLE IN OPEN SESSION SEMICOLON

(D) FOR THE GEC TO BE DISSOLVED AS SOON AS IT HAD CARRIED OUT ITS

SPECIFIC ELECTORAL FUNCTIONS.

METHOD OF ELECTION

14. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES, SPECIFIC

PROCEDURES WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED FOR THE CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS BY

THE GEC.

ELECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

15. WITH REFERENCE TO THE ELECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, NOTE 1

OF JULY 1987 SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT BE PRUDENT TO ADOPT A

PROCEDURE FOR NOMINATION AND FOR THE SELECTION OF A SHORT LIST OF

CANDIDATES. ONE OPTION MIGHT BE FOR THE FULL BODY OF THE GEC TO ELECT, FROM AMONGST ITS MEMBERS, A SPECIAL NOMINATING COMMITTEE''

Secret

| WHICH.