TNAG-2451-FCO40-3568-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 20

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CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SUMMARY

HOWARD YOUNG (REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TOURISM FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY, CRC) AND THE HONG KONG CIVIC ASSOCIATION PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERION TO RUN IN THE 9 NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

DETAIL

2.

YOUNG WROTE TO THE GOVERNOR ON 5 NOVEMBER SETTING OUT AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. THE MAIN POINTS ARE:

(I) THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT MEMBERS OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE SHOULD THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN ELECTED, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD BE TAKEN AS APPOINTMENT BY PROXY. HOWEVER, THIS POINT WAS OUTSIDE THE FIVE PRINCIPLES SET OUT IN THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S LETTER OF 6 FEBRUARY 1990 TO QIAN:

(II) WHILST THE BASIC LAW IS SILENT ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE 1997 ELECTION COMMITTEE, IT SHOULD, FOR THE SAKE OF CONVERGENCE AND SMOOTH TRANSITION, BE AS SIMILAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE 1999 ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE:

(III) AS A COROLLARY OF (II), THE FIRST EC SHOULD HAVE BETWEEN 400-800 MEMBERS, WITH EQUAL NUMBER DRAWN FROM FOUR SECTORS, VIS. BUSINESS, THE PROFESSIONALS, LABOUR, SOCIAL SERVICES AND RELIGION ETC... AND POLITICAL BODIES: AND

(IV) THE FOUR SECTORS SHOULD, THROUGH AN ELECTORAL PROCESS, CHOOSE THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO SIT ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE.

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