Prudent selection: Stephen Lam says politically-appointed officers should be carefully chosen without haste.

The political appointment of bureau deputy directors and director's assistants may take place in phases, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam says.

Speaking after a meeting of the Commission on Strategic Development today, Mr Stephen noted that, since those proposed politically-appointed officers will support the third Chief Executive and his or her policy secretaries on policy administration over the next five years, the appointees should be selected prudently, without haste.

He noted any Chief Executive elected in future will have to implement the electoral promises made. So it is necessay to have two or three tiers of political appointees to help the individual form a political team.

Some meeting participants suggested reviewing or restructuring the current 11 policy bureaux, as some have more onerous responsibilities.

In response,  Mr Lam noted the issue would be up to the next Chief Executive to decide, who will be elected next March. 

Meanwhile, he added the Government will take into consideration the ideas and suggestions raised during the consultation on the Further Development of the Political Appointment System, and will come up with a practical proposal in the first half of 2007.

Meeting participants reach consensus

A consensus had been reached at today's meeting in three areas:

* The system of politically-appointed officers will increase room for political participation in Hong Kong, which is conducive to its long-term constitutional and political development;

* The politically-appointed officers are expected to introduce new ideas into the government administration;and

* The proposed political appointment system will help to pave the way for the opening up of Hong Kong's election system.