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with prosperity can Hong Kong be valuable, and can the travel documents held by the Hong Kong people serve a practical
purpose.
Sir, when Sir Geoffrey Howe announced in the House of Commons on 21 January 1985 that a new status would be given to the British Dependent Territories citizens in Hong Kong, he had given the name much thought and consulted the Executive Council of Hong Kong. The UMELCO delegation led by Sir S Y CHUNG had attended the debate on that day. The delegation also requested an adjournment of the Committee Stage and Third Reading of the Hong Kong Bill until after January 28 to allow the Hong Kong people ample time to express their views on the new nationality title. I am glad that eventually the Hong Kong people were given such a chance by HMG and Parliament.
Unfortunately there is no official Chinese version and I this poses a problem to our colleagues who speak in Chinese. do not intend to beat around the bush or end my speech with quotations or irrelevant issues, but I would attempt to quote a few lines from a ballad unique to Hong Kong and humbly add my version to finish it off in the hope that the subject of this debate would be known to all in Hong Kong:
"It won't matter that your English standard is
low,
If you know the words 'yes' and 'no',
And that 'lai' is come and 'hui' is go.
'Kung man' is citizen while 'kwok man' is national.
The greatest difference is in 'abode'.
BN (0), what's its virtue?
It gives you convenience of travel!"