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MDHIAN 2142

ANY

BACKWARD STEP AND OUT OF LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: OR FINDING ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS TO

SUCH PERMIT OFFICIALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNCILS PROCEEDINGS. ARRANGEMENTS MIGHT INVOLVE FIELDING DIFFERENT OFFICIALS FOR EACH MEETING OR HAVING OFFICIALS ATTEND MEETINGS AS NON-MEMBERS. ARRANGEMENT FOR ALTERING OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP TO MATCH THE MATTERS

TO AVOID THE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL WOULD HOWEVER HAVE DANGER OF MAKING RADICAL CHANGES TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION, OR DAMAGING THE COHESION OF THE COUNCIL, THROUGH HAVING AN EVER-CHANGING CAST OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS.

ELECTED MEMBERS

54. AS SET OUT IN CHAPTER III OF THIS WHITE PAPER, TEN DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1991 IN PLACE OF THE TEN MEMBERS CURRENTLY ELECTED BY THE GEOGRAPHICAL (DISTRICT BOARD) CONSTITUENCIES OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. THE REMAINING TWO SEATS UNDER THE PRESENT ELECTORAL

OF COLLEGE ARRANGEMENT ARE FILLED BY THE SPECIAL CONSTITUENCIES THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS. THERE ARE STRONG REASONS FOR CONTINUING TO HAVE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THIS IS A KEY PART OF THE SYSTEM OF LINKAGE BETWEEN THE THREE TIERS OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 40 OF THE PRECEDING CHAPTER. RATHER THAN RETAIN AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE ARRANGEMENT FOR ONLY TWO

MEMBERS, HOWEVER THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO ABOLISH THE PRESENT ELECTORAL COLLEGE IN 1991 AND DESIGNATE THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AS A FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY WITH EACH OF THE TWO COUNCILS ELECTING ONE MEMBER TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

55. THERE IS A GOOD CASE FOR LIMITED EXPANSION OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM IN 1988. THE SYSTEM HAS WORKED WELL SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION IN 1985 AND THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER

THE SHOWED THAT THERE WAS WIDE SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPING IT FURTHER. GREEN PAPER SUGGESTED THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES BY WHICH TO CONSIDER

FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY: WHETHER A GROUP OR GROUPS SHOULD BECOME A

(A) FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD RE SUBSTANTIAL AND OF

IMPORTANCE IN THE COMMUNITY:

(B)

DEFINED TO AVOID

ANY NEW CONSTITUENCY SHOULD BE CLEAR DIFFICULTIES OVER WHO QUALIFIES FOR INCLUSION AND HOW THE ELECTORATE IS PRESCRIBED:

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