THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1983
6
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION FUNCTIONS EXPLAINED
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IN ORDER TO HAVE A FREE PRESS, PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUBLISH NEWSPAPERS OF ANY POLITICAL PERSUASION AND CRITICISE OR PRAISE THE GOVERNMENT OR ANYONE ELSE, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE INSTALLATION CEREMONY OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE ZONTA CLUB OF KOWLOON THIS EVENING, MR BRAY SAID THESE WERE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF A GOVERNMENT WHICH WERE SELDOM COMPLIED WITH IN SOME OTHER PARTS OF ASIA.
FURTHERMORE, HE SUGGESTED THAT A GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO MORE THAN SIMPLY REFRAIN FROM SUPPRESSING THE PUBLICATION OF WHAT IT DID NOT LIKE OR COMPELLING THE PUBLICATION OF WHAT IT WANTED PRINTED.
+THIS RESTRAINT IS NECESSARY BUT MORE IS REQUIRED OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESS TOO IS REQUIRED TO DO MORE THAN SIMPLY PRINT EVERYTHING ANYONE LIKES TO SAY.
+ON THE GOVERNMENT'S SIDE, WE HAVE ACCEPTED AN OBLIGATION TO INFORM THE MEDIA OF POLICIES AND GOVERNMENT THINKING, OF EVENTS, OF PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATION, HE SAID.
ON OCCASIONS WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PUBLICISE ITS ACTIVITIES, THERE ARE GOOD REASONS.
+THERE ARE AREAS OF SECURITY WHERE WE DO NOT PUBLISH STATEMENTS - FOR INSTANCE ON OPERATIONAL POLICE MATTERS, HE SAID.
+
CITING ANOTHER EXAMPLE, HE SAID, IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MERE TO SAY THAT SOMEBODY'S CONDUCT HAD BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE POLICE OR THE ICAC, THAT HE HAD STUDIED THE PAPERS AND DECIDED NOT TO PROSECUTE, THERE WOULD BE A SLUR ON THAT MAN EVER AFTER AND ONE HE COULD NEVER FIGHT AGAINST,+
ONE OFTEN PRACTICAL REASON WHY SOME MATTERS WERE NOT PUBLISHED AT ANY MOMENT WAS THE TIME TAKEN TO PRINT A BULKY REPORT OR TO TRANSLATE IT, HE SAID.
HOWEVER, THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES IS NOW RE-EXAMINING AN EMBARGO SYSTEM TO HELP THE PRESS OBTAIN EARLY COPIES OF SUCH REPORTS.
ANOTHER COMMON REASON FOR RETICENCE IS THE NEED TO KEEP SILENT ON PROPOSALS OR SCHEMES BEING EXAMINED.
*WISE THOUGH CIVIL SERVANTS ARE, SOME PRETTY CRACK POT IDEAS ARE PRODUCED FROM TIME TO TIME. THESE DO NOT GET FAR AND IT WOULD BE MISCHIEVOUS TO PUBLISH THEM AS SCHEMES UNDER CONSIDERATION'.
/+THE GOVERNMENT