TNAG-1716-FCO40-2396-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 217

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MDHIAN 2125

7.

(C)

(D)

WHETHER THE GOVERNOR SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE PRESIDENT OF

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND

PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF ELECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS,

THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE GREEN PAPER DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF ISSUES

THREE TIERS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

AFFECTING THE

IT PUT FORWARD

A RANGE OF OPTIONS, AND SET OUT THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST EACH OF THEM. IT DID NOT MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. THE OBJECT WAS TO

ENCOURAGE THE WIDEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC RESPONSE.

THE SURVEY OFFICE

•

8 A SURVEY OFFICE WAS SET UP TO COLLECT PUBLIC OPINION ON THE

GREEN PAPER. IT OPERATED OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY MACHINERY OF

GOVERNMENT AND WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. TWO

INDEPENDENT MONITORS WERE APPOINTED TO OVERSEE ITS WORK. ITS TASK WAS TO COLLECT AND COLLATE, BUT NOT TO ASSESS, THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE PUBLIC. ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE AND THOS OF THE MONITORS

ARE AT APPENDIX A. THE SURVEY OFFICE RECEIVED SUBMISSIONS FROM THE

PUBLIC FROM 27 MAY TO 30 SEPTEMBER 1987. IT SUBMITTED ITS REPORT

ON THE PUBLIC RESPONSE ON 29 OCTOBER 1987, AND THE MONITORS SUBMITTED THEIR SEPARATE REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING DAY. BOTHS REPORTS

WERE TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND PUBLISHED ON 4 NOVEMBER,

THE MONITORS CONCLUDED IN THEIR REPORT THAT THE SURVEY OFFICE HAD

CARRIED OUT ITS DUTIES PROPERLY, ACCURATELY AND IMPARTIALLY, AND IN LINE WITH ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE.

PUBLIC RESPONSE

9. THE GREEN PAPER SUCCEED IN ITS OBJECTIVE OF ELICITING A WIDE-

SPREAD PUBLIC RESPONSE. DURING THE FOURT MONTHS OF THE PUBLIC

CONSULTATION PERIOD A TOTAL OF 131,589 WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS WERE

RECEIVED BY THE SURVEY OFFICE AN UNPRECEDENTLY LARGE RESPONSE TO

SUCH AND EXERCISE IN HONG KONG. THE 1984 GREEN PAPER ON THE FURTHER

DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT ATTRACTED ONLY 364

SUBMISSIONS: AND THE ASSESSMENT IN LATE 1984 OF THE ACCEPTABILITY

OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG ATTRACTED 2,494.

10. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HELD DEBATES ON THE CONTENTS OF THE

GREEN PAPER AND ON THE REPORTS OF THE SURVEY OFFICE AND THE MONITORS.

BOTH MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND ALL 19 DISTRICT BOARDS DISCUSSED THE

ISSUES RAISED IN THE GREEN PAPER. THESE DISCUSSIONS AND OTHER

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