GOVERNOR Chris Patten has ruled out a revamp of the executive/legislative relationship, fearing that any drastic change would undermine the executive-led Government and offend China. Instead, the Governor, his top policy secretaries and executive councillors will rely on dialogue with the new Legislative Council to absorb their views into the policy-making process. Government sources revealed the Governor would offer no specific ideas on links between the executive authorities and the new Legco in his fourth policy address to be announced today. A Government source admitted there had not been 'great enthusiasm' about a proposal to revive the Government-Legco Committee, raised in the 1992 Policy Address to bridge the executive and legislative authorities. 'We'll leave that open in the policy address,' the source said. The source said there was also 'no terrific political pressure' for the Governor to appoint Legco members to Exco during talks with political parties and legislators over the past fortnight. The Governor and his top advisers hold the view that major changes to the sensitive ties between Exco and Legco would cause a fresh row with China. Exco members and the administration also found unacceptable the idea put forward by the Democratic Party of forming standing committees on various policy areas. Some members feared the executive-led structure would be damaged and officials were not keen to share their policy-making power with legislators. Some also did not want to take the political responsibility of championing government policies publicly in the committees, said an Exco member who did not wish to be named. Instead of institutional changes, the administration and Exco members believe the only viable option is to boost dialogue with Legco members to try to increase their input to policy-making. Exco members will form smaller groups to have regular talks with parties and legislators on policies, according to another Exco member. The first Exco member said: 'The Government has to change its working methods. What [former financial secretary] Sir Hamish Macleod has done in his pre-budget consultation can be adopted. The Government should let the legislators know what they are thinking.' The member admitted Legco members might not accept such arrangements, but added that 'there are no alternatives'. The bottom line, the member said, was that the meetings had to be held behind closed doors so frank discussions would be possible. A Government official said all policy secretaries would have to talk to the parties and legislators directly to seek support. 'Inevitably, they will have to spend more time to establish a working relationship with the new Legco members,' the official said.
