HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-8 March 1989
香港立法局——————— ——————一九八九年三月八日
10
MR. ANDREW WONG: Sir, I think the key words in Mr. SZETO Wah's question are "has taken in the past". The question ought, perhaps, to be re- formulated to read "had taken in the past". Could the Administration advise whether or not, since the signing of the two international covenants in 1968 and the ratification in 1976, steps had been taken in the past to inform members of the public of the existence of such covenants and the human rights involved?
CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, rather than giving publicity to the two covenants over the period of years, our efforts have been concentrating on adopting measures to give effect to the rights recognized in the covenants. Although the general public may not have been familiar with the contents of the covenants before the publicity last year, we believe that there is a good awareness within the community of individual rights. This, Sir, is because ours is an open society; the media have played an important role in informing the public; the Government has also been trying to ensure that people are made aware of the channels for complaints and redress of grievances if they feel their rights have been violated.
MR. MARTIN LEE: Sir, bearing in mind that the first step is to educate the public as to their rights under these two international covenants, will the Administration inform this Council why it had taken so long before it woke up to its undoubted duty to bring to the attention of the public these two international covenants?
CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, I think I answered that question in reply to Mr. Andrew WONG.
MRS. TU: Sir, in addition to merely sending information sheets on the two could covenants to schools these may be thrown in the wastepaper basket the Chief Secretary advise whether the Administration would be prepared to set up seminars for teachers of civic education in primary and secondary schools?
CHIEF SECRETARY: Certainly, Sir, we will consider that suggestion.
譚耀宗議員問:主席先生,英國政府將會在今年向聯合國人權委員會提交香港實施公民權利和政 治權利國際公約報告書。政府可否告知本局,將會如何宣傳這事和如何鼓勵市民發表意見?