TNAG-2215-FCO40-3182-Address-by-David-Wilson--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-Legis-1991 — Page 72

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MEMBERS

ALREADY CONSIDERING IS THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OMELCO.

MAY ALSO WANT TO EXAMINE THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF PANELS AND AD HOC

GROUPS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING MORE USE OF SELECT COMMITTEES. YOUR STANDING ORDERS AND PROCEDURES ARE MATTERS FOR YOU TO DECIDE FOR YOURSELVES. BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WILL

HAVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S FULL CO-OPERATION IN THE SEARCH FOR NEW

OR IMPROVED WAYS OF CARRYING OUR LEGISLATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

12. THESE CHANGES WHICH I HAVE OUTLINED ARE ONLY THE IMMEDIATE

AGENDA. FURTHER CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WILL TAKE PLACE IN

1995. THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WILL THEN BE ELECTED. MEMBERS WILL

CHOOSE THEIR OWN PRESIDENT. THE SYSTEM OF APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL

CEASE. THERE WILL BE NO CIVIL SERVANT MEMBERS. THE NUMBER OF

DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS WILL BE INCREASED: SO WILL THE NUMBER OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. SOME MEMBERS WILL BE RETURNED BY AN

ELECTION COMMITTEE.

13. TO PREPARE FOR 1995, A MAJOR REVIEW OF HOW WE OPERATE OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM IS BEING UNDERTAKEN. IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY

THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR. AMONG THE MAIN ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED

IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION. A COMMISSION OF THIS SORT COULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR REGULATING ELECTORAL PROCEDURES INCLUDING CANVASSING RULES, THE

ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE QUESTION OF ELECTION EXPENSES. THERE WILL ALSO BE THE CRITICAL TASK OF FIXING ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES.

14. THERE ARE OTHER KEY QUESTIONS TO BE TACKLED. OUR ELECTORAL

RULES ARE NOW SCATTERED THROUGHOUT A VARIETY OF ORDINANCES. WE

Directh

NEED A COHESIVE FRAMEWORK OF ELECTORAL LEGISLATION. DECISIONS ARE elected

feals?

ALSO NEEDED ON SUCH IMPORTANT ISSUES AS THE AGE AT WHICH YOUNG

PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

15. MOST OF THE MEETINGS OF THIS COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

WILL TAKE PLACE UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF MR JOHN SWAINE THE

FIRST DEPUTY PRESIDENT EVER TO BE APPOINTED. MR SWAINE WILL HAVE THE CRUCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF ENSURING THAT THE COUNCIL'S

BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED IMPARTIALLY AND EFFICIENTLY. HIS

APPOINTMENT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN OUR EVOLUTION TOWARDS A WHOLLY-ELECTED COUNCIL IN 1995. IT UNDERLINES THE DISTINCT AND INDEPENDENT ROLE WHICH THIS COUNCIL WILL PLAY IN THE PARTNERSHIP

WITH THE ADMINSTRATION. MR SWAINE'S DISTINGUISHED RECORD OF PUBLIC SERVICE, COUPLED WITH HIS EXPERIENCE AS MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL, MAKE HIM PARTICULARLY WELL-SUITED TO BE YOUR FIRST

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