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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE SECRETARY, on behalf of Miss FOK PUI-YEE (in English):---Madam Chairman, Colleagues, I would like to put forward some views on the contents of the Draft Basic Law (for solicitation of opinions) with a view to safeguarding the basic rights of women in Hong Kong.
I think that the provisions of the Basic Law should include the following points:
(1) The Chief Executive and all members of the Legislature of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should be directly elected by all Hong Kong residents on a one-person-one-vote basis from 1997 onwards so as to ensure that all women in Hong Kong will not be deprived of their political right.
(2) All Hong Kong residents should be equal before the law and not be discriminated because of their social status, birth, marital status and sexual preference.
(3) All women should enjoy freedom of marriage and choosing their spouse.
(4) All women should enjoy status and rights with their spouse in the family and share equal responsibility in respect of the family.
(5) All women should enjoy the right of child-bearing and the freedom of terminating pregnancy.
(6) All people, regardless of their sex, should enjoy equal pay and equal treatment for equal job and should have equal opportunity for employment and promotion.
(7) Woman workers should have their safety and health protected during work and should not be discriminated because of pregnancy.
(8) The privileges of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories protected under the Basic Law should be removed, especially those traditions and customs seriously discriminating against women.
I sincerely hope that members of the Drafting Committee would take into account women's basic rights and accept my requests. Thank you.
VICE-CHAIRMAN (in English):—Well, we have now heard sixteen speakers and we have two more papers tabled---one by Mrs. Eleanor LING and the other by Mr. Paul YOUNG. Does any other member wish to speak? Alright, now we take a vote on the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
VICE-CHAIRMAN (in English):—Members' views will be conveyed as stated in the motion through the appropriate channels to the Basic Law Drafting Committee for consideration.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADJOURNMENT – 5.35 p.m.
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VICE-CHAIRMAN (in English):-As agreed at the Standing Committee of the Whole Council on 6 September, the debate on the consultancy report on sport in Hong Kong, i.e. 'The Way Ahead', No. 4 of the motion on the agenda, will take place on Thursday, 15 September. Council now stands adjourned until Thursday, 15 September 1988 at 2.30 p.m. Please be present, so we can give full support to those who are speaking on sports. Thank you.
Draft Urban Council Speech on Basic Law Mrs. Eleanor C. M. LING
Appendix A
The consultation period for the first draft of the Basic Law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will end soon. After months of discussions, it appears that the public has reached some consensus on certain key points.
The important points on which a common view has emerged are those related to the degree of autonomy for the future Special Administrative Region and the form of the Basic Law itself.
I share a commonly held view that more trust should be placed on the Special Administrative Region by the Chinese Government so that a high degree of autonomy can genuinely be possible. The flaws in the draft, particularly in articles 16, 17, 18 and 169, have been pointed out by many. As they stand, these articles infringe on the Special Administrative Region's autonomy and constitute a departure from the Joint Declaration.
As we all know, a high degree of autonomy in the Basic Law is clearly provided in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. A strict adherence to this core principle is vital to maintaining the confidence here. As a signatory party to the Joint Declaration, I believe the British Government has both the right and duty to ensure that the Basic Law faithfully reflects the terms in this document. We, the people of Hong Kong, deserve and expect this to be so. For its part, the Chinese Government should give Hong Kong a much-needed boost of confidence by playing down its authority over the SAR of Hong Kong.
Turning to the form of the Basic Law, there seems to be a broad consensus that the Basic Law should address itself to the principles rather than the policies of the SAR Government. The present draft is, however, a confusing mixture of both. This will limit the SAR Government to the extent that it may not be able to evolve and adapt in light of changing circumstances. As such, it will constrain rather than promote Hong Kong's well-being in the next 50 years!
I turn now to two areas, where no consensus seems to have been achieved, but which are also important. These are the issue of nationality and the English Language.