TNAG-1750-FCO40-2470-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 144

94.

Nevertheless, the electoral college system has undoubtedly fostered closer links between the different levels of government and has brought into the Legislative Council a number of Members experienced in local affairs.

Op is for 1988

95. The options for 1988 would appear to be:

(i) to retain the present 12 constituencies, each electing a Member to the

Legislative Council;

(ii) to maintain the existing number of constituencies but to reorganize some geographical constituencies to provide for a more compatible grouping of districts, with an additional seat allocated to constitu- encies which are particularly large or diverse in character; or (iii) to increase the number of geographical constituencies to enable each District Board to elect a representative to the Legislative Council. 96. Option (i) would leave the criticisms recorded in paragraph 92 above unanswered. Option (ii) would overcome the criticisms to some extent, without increasing greatly the number of electoral college seats. Option (iii) would eliminate rivalries between District Boards, but would require an additional nine seats in the Legislative Council, making 21 from the electoral college. It would also result in a large district such as Kwun Tong, with a population of 678,000, having the same representation in the Council as a small district such as Sai Kung with a population of 45,000. More evenly distributed representa- tion with, for example, each electoral college Member representing a constitu- ency of some 250,000, would require still further seats in the Legislative Council. This could in turn alter the balance of membership in the Council and might lead to renewed criticism that District Board and municipal council members are given too much influence in the Legislative Council.

Suggestions for New Forms of Election

97. A primary consideration is whether, in furthering the development of a more representative legislature, it would be better to rely on the maintenance or develop- ment of existing systems, or to introduce additional systems of representation. 98. In considering this question, it should be borne in mind that many channels are already available through which the views and concerns of the community can be made known to the Administration. In addition to the principal institutions of representative government, namely the District Boards, the Urban and Regional Councils, and the Legislative Council, there is an extensive network of boards and committees on which many hundreds of people participate, advising the Government on a wide range of local and territory- wide issues, up to and including the most important policy decisions. The Government intends to maintain and further develop these channels.

99. On the other hand, Section 1 of Annex I to the Joint Declaration provides, amongst other things, that 'the legislature of the Hong Kong Special Adminis- trative Region shall be constituted by elections'. This provision will, in

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