TNAG-1717-FCO40-2397-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 41

G.F. 316

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16

It

of Hong Kong's system of representative government.

Would be welcomed by the community and would be

conducive to the maintenance of stability.

28.

On the question of timing, the Government has

concluded that it would not be right to make such a

major constitutional

change in 1988, given that

opinions in the community on this issue are

this issue are so clearly

divided.

The argument that the Legislative Council

with its present

rather than undergo a second

should continue for one more term

forms of membership,

restructuring in three years, is strong.

However,

there are also good reasons for leaving sufficient time

before 1997 for the new form of election

election to become

firmly established. The Government has therefore

decided to introduce a number of directly elected

Members into the Legislative Council in 1991.

29.

are best

The Government believes that direct elections

of the basis

single-seat

This raises the question

carried out on

geographical constituencies.

of what happens to the

present geographically-based

electoral college seats. It is difficult to see any

advantage in having two parallel systems of

geographical representation in the Legislative Council,

operating both directly and through District Boards.

That would mean having Members elected on a

basis by both direct and indirect

geographical

methods.

I n

addition, having two types of

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