TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 93

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2839

OF 221OOOZ JULY 87

SECRET

MNFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

нив onli

61

30 JUL 107

.

Strive X

Whitight

weld (d) or

MY TELNO 2836 : STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT: LONGER TERM ISSUES

FURTHER TO TUR, THE FOLLOWING MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PAPERS WERE

SUGGESTED BY EXCO MEMBERS AT THIS MORNING'S MEETING :

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (NOTE 1)

(A) PARAGRAPH 6 : MEMBERS WERE CONCERNED THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND THE TERM 'TRANSFERABLE VOTE SYSTEM''. WE THEREFORE

SUGGEST THAT THIS PARAGRAPH BE RECAST AS FOLLOWS :

116.

*F ONE OF THE ABOVE SYSTEMS OF ELECTIONS ES CHOSEN, T WOULD BE NECESSARY TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE METHOD OF ELECTION

AND VOTING SYSTEM TO BE USED, AND TO THE MACHINERY FOR SUBMITTING

THE ELECTED CANDIDATES FOR APPOINTMENT BY THE CPG. AS REGARDS VOTING SYSTEMS, CANDIDATES MIGHT EITHER BE ELECTED BY A SIMPLE

MAJORITY, OR BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN THE SUPPORT OF AT LEAST

TWO-THIRDS OF THE ELECTING BODY. ALTERNATIVELY A PREFERENTIAL SYSTEM

OF VOTING, SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH IS NOW USED FOR THE ELECTION TO

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FUNCT KONAL

CONSTITUENCIES, MIGHT BE PREFERRED.''

(B) PARAGRAPH 9 SECOND SENTENCE: THIS WAS THOUGHT TO BE UNDULY

NEGATIVE. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT T BE REWORDED AS FOLLOWS :

**THIS WOULD HELP TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICIES

OF THE EXECUTIVE AND THE EFFICIENT CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

MN THE LEGISLATURE.''

(C) PARAGRAPH 12 SECOND SENTENCE : DELETE THE WORDS OR TERMS'

(D) PARAGRPAH 15(D) : THE WORDS CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S COUNCIL SHOULD

OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO ''EXECUTIVE COUNCIL''.

(E) PARAGRAPH 16(D) : MEMBERS WISHED TO GIVE GREATER EMPHASIS TO

THE FACT THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WOULD BE ACTING IN ACCORDANCE

WITH THE ADVICE OF AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. WE

THEREFORE SUGGEST THET FOLLOWING REWORDING :

''TO APPOINT AND DISMISS OTHER PUBLIC SERVANTS, SUBJECT TO THIS

POWER BEING EXERCISED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ADVICE OF AN

*:NDEPENDENT PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION''

(F) PARAGRAPH 19 FOURTH SENTENCE : MEMBERS CONSIDERED THAT THE

POWER LISTED AT PARAGRAPH 17(B) SHOULD NOT BE RETAINED BY THE

GOVERNOR, BUT SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE

bajs invig

SECRET

LEGISLATURE