WEDNE AY, JUNE 12, 1985
19
AMENDMENTS NECESSARY TO ALLEVIATE CONCERN
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DURING THE SINO-BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS THE WISH OF HONG KONG TO RETAIN MANY OF ITS FREEDOMS WAS UNQUESTIONABLE, THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SHE WAS SPEAKING DURING THE SECOND READING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL 1985.
+IT WAS THEREFORE UNDERSTANDABLE, SHE SAID, THAT MUCH WAS VOICED BY THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL AND MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA IN PARTICULAR ON THE NECESSITY TO SAFEGUARD EXISTING FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE PRESS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BILL BEFORE US.
+ SHARE THE SENTIMENT, AND FEEL THAT CERTAIN AMENDMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO ALLEVIATE CONCERN, +
TWO POINTS WERE OFTEN CRITICISED IN CLAUSE 17(D).
THE PHRASE INTENTIONAL DISRESPECT' WAS GENERALLY NOT FAVOURED, AS ITS DEFINITION WAS OPEN TO QUESTION.
+MOREOVER, THE FOLLOWING PHRASE "TO OR WITH REFERENCE TO THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNCIL OR A COMMITTEE OR TO ANY PERSON PRESIDING AT SUCH PROCEEDINGS' COULD MEAN ANYTHING RANGING FROM DISRESPECTFUL WORDS OR ACT TO GENUINE COMMENTARY MADE OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL WHICH MAY BE CRITICAL OF IT, IN EITHER SPOKEN, WRITTEN OR PUBLISHED FORM.
+THIS GRAVE RESERVATION IS JUSTIFIED, AND IN MY VIEW, CLAUSE 17(D) SHOULD BE REMOVED ALTOGETHER, SHE SAID.
MOVING TO CLAUSE 20 WHICH SHE SAID SEEMED TO CAUSE THE MOST PROBLEMS AS FAR AS FREEDOM OF SPEECH WAS CONCERNED, MRS CHOW SAID SHE CERTAINLY SHARED THE THINKING OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA THAT CLAUSE 20 SHOULD BE DELETED, SO THAT MEMBERS WERE LEFT IN NO DOUBT THAT THE PRESENT ROLE OF THE MEDIA AS THE WATCHDOG OF GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT IN ANY WAY BE ERODED.
+THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DOES NOT AND SHOULD NOT REQUIRE ANY MORE PROTECTION THAN IS PRESENTLY AFFORDED BY EXISTING LEGISLATION.
+AT THIS JUNCTURE, THERE MUST BE NO NEW LEGAL PROVISION THAT CAN BE CONSTRUED OR INTERPRETED AS RETROGRESSION IN THE PART THE MEDIA IS ALLOWED TO PLAY BY LAW, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS A MORE OPEN FORM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.+
SHE SAID IN DISPOSING OF CLAUSE 20, THERE WAS JUST A SMALL QUESTION MARK THAT REMAINED IN HER MIND.
/+I AM