12
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1985
+ THE INTENTION OF BENDING OVER BACKWARDS TO ACCOMMODATE MOKE
* BE GOOD, BUT IF WE OVERDO IT WE MAY FALL OVERBOARD.+
THE JOINT DECLARATION STATED THAT CHINA HAS DECIDED TO RESUME THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG WITH EFFECT FROM 1ST JULY 1997'.
+ BEFORE THIS DATE, THE BRITISH FLAG STILL FLIES HERE AND BRITISH LAW AND ADMINISTRATION WILL MAINTAIN STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG, MR CHAN SAID.
+TOO EARLY A CHANGE IN LOYALTY WOULD CHANGE HONG KONG INTO
A 'CHAMELEON LAND'.+
OATHS BILL MOVE TO MORE OPEN GOVERNMENT ****
THE OATHS AND DECLARATIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985 CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES GOVERNMENT'S SINCERITY AND COMMITMENT TOWARDS MORE
OPEN GOVERNMENT.
THIS WAS SAID BY THE HON MRS PAULINE NG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL.
SHE SAID IN SEPTEMBER THE FIRST ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE HELD AND IT WAS UNDESIRABLE TO RETAIN THE OATH
IN ITS PRESENT FORM WHICH SWORE ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN ALONE,
+ IN THE CONTEXT OF DEVELOPING A MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG AND IN THE RUN UP TO 1997, BY WHICH TIME HONG KONG WOULD TURN INTO A HIGHLY AUTONOMOUS REGION WITHIN CHINA, THE IMAGE OF HONG KONG AS A COLONY SHOULD GRADUALLY FADE,+ MRS NG SAID.
+THE RETENTION OF SUCH A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT MIGHT DETER SOME CANDIDATES FROM SEEKING ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL RESULTING IN ALLEGATIONS THAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS FAR FROM GENUINE IN ITS COMMITMENT TOWARDS POLITICAL REFORM. +
SHE SAID THE BILL DEFINITELY HELPED TO DISPEL ANY LINGERING DOUBTS AND IF PASSED WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO REMOVING A MAJOR OBSTACLE AND TO ENSURING THAT AS WIDE A FIELD OF CANDIDATES AS POSSIBLE WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO STAND IN THE COMING LEGCO ELECTIONS.
/INSTEAD OF