WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1984
+COMMON INTENTION+ ON LEGAL SYSTEM SEEN
****
IT WAS APPARENT THAT IN APPROACHING THE IR IMPORTANT
NEGOTIATIONS, BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAD EXPRESSED A COMMON INTENTION TO PRESERVE THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF HONG KONG'S LEGAL SYSTEM, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+CHINESE LEADERS HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY ENVISAGE THAT HONG KONG'S VARIOUS SYSTEMS SHOULD CONTINUE AFTER 1997 AND THAT THE LAWS CURRENTLY IN FORCE WILL REMAIN BASICALLY UNCHANGED, + MR THOMAS SAID.
SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG+, MR THOMAS NOTED THAT AT HIS RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, HAD SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO FORESEE A SITUATION AFTER 1997 WHERE HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY WOULD INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE TERRITORY'S OWN FAMILIAR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE.
SIR GEOFFREY HAD SAID AT THE TIME THAT THE POST-1997 LAWS OF HONG KONG, INCLUDING WRITTEN AND COMMON LAW, WOULD BE BASED UPON THE PRESENT SYSTEM.
+THIS UNITY OF PURPOSE OF THE TWO GOVERNMENTS MUST SURELY BE ONE OF THE MOST HOPEFUL SIGNS TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS TERRITORY THAT THE CONTINUATION OF THEIR LIFESTYLE AND THEIR WAY OF LIFE IS ASSURED BEYOND 1997.
+ IF THE PARTIES TO THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE ABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT UNDER WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MAY EXPECT TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF THEIR OWN FAMILIAR LEGAL SYSTEM AFTER 1997, THAT WILL PROVIDE ONE OF THE MOST RELIABLE GUARANTEES TO THEM THAT THE IR FREEDOMS AND THE IR RIGHTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESPECTED AND ENJOYED IN THE YEARS AHEAD, MR THOMAS STATED.
HE SAID THE PRINCIPAL THEME OF THE UNOFFICIALS' CONTRIBUTIONS WAS ONE THAT WOULD +COMMAND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS COUNCIL CHAMBEN AND THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF HONG KONG+.
+IN ESSENCE. THAT MESSAGE IS THAT THE LEGAL SYSTEM IS IMPORTANT TO HONG KONG AND ITS FUTURE, HE SAID.
+THERE CAN BE NO SOCIETY IN WHICH THE STRONG ARE HELD IN CHECK AND THE WEAK ARE PROTECTED, IN WHICH PERSONAL FREEDOM EXISTS ALONGSIDE THE FORCE AND POWER NECESSARY FOR GOOD ORDER AND GOVERNMENT, WITHOUT LAWS TO DECLARE RIGHTS AND DUTIES AND COURTS TO MAKE THEM EFFECTIVE, MR THOMAS ADDED.
HONG KONG'S LEGAL SYSTEM, HE SAID, HAD SERVED ITS PEOPLE WELL, AND THE TERRITORY HAD BEEN TRANSFORMED FROM A SMALL UNDERDEVELOPED PORT OF A FEW FISHERMEN TO A SOPHISTICATED CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCE AND REGIONAL TRADE OF 5.5 MILLION PEOPLE.
/+THE LAWS