WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1988
FILM CENSORSHIP BILL ACCEPTABLE TO COMMUNITY
WHICH NOT ALSO
THE FILM CENSORSHIP BILL 1988 REPRESENTS A PACKAGE ONLY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE INTERESTS OF ALL PARTIES, BUT SHOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG HON YEUNG PO-KWAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR YEUNG WAS SPEAKING DURING THE Resumed deBATE ON READING OF THE BILL.
KONG, THE
THE SECOND
WAS HE NOTED THAT ONE MAJOR AREA OF DEBATE CONCERNING THE BILL
THE ON
GROUND THAT ITS THE CENSOR'S POWER TO BAN OR EXCISE A FILM
GOOD RELATIONS WITH EXHIBITION WOULD SERIOUSLY DAMAGE OTHER TERRITORIES.
HONG
KONG'S
TO RETAIN THIS POWER WOULD AND THE INTERNATIONAL
CONCERN HAD BEEN EXPRESSED THAT INFRINGE UPON THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS.
THAT AN
AMENDMENT
WILL BE
MADE TO FREEDOM
H
HE SAID.
"I AM NOW HAPPY TO SAY PROVIDE FOR EXPRESS STATUTORY RECOGNITION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF OF EXPRESSION ENSHRINED IN ARTICLE 19 OF THE COVENANT,
WOULD FUNCTION AS AN REFERRING TO THE BOARD OF APPEAL WHICH APPEAL CHANNEL FOR FILM PRODUCERS AGGRIEVED BY A CENSORSHIP DECISION,
BILL MR YEUNG SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP STUDYING THE
BOARD SHOUD BE THAT THE FELT STRONGLY OF WHICH HE WAS CONVENOR, CHAIRED BY A NON-OFFICIAL TO HIGHLIGHT ITS INDEPENDENT ROLE.
TO
A
HE SAID THAT THIS WOULD, SAFEGUARDS AVAILABLE IN THE BILL TO PREVENT CENSOR.
DEGREE, CERTAIN
OF ABUSE
THE ENHANCE POWER BY THE
AD HOC
GROUP'S PROPOSAL
THE GOVERNMENT WAS RECEPTIVE TO THE AND A SUITABLE PROVISION HAD BEEN MADE IN THE BILL.
GROUP'S PROPOSAL THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO AGREED TO THE AD HOC
"REFER" REQUESTS THAT THE CHIEF SECRETARY WOULD ONLY BE EMPOWERED TO
THE BOARD OF REVIEW RATHER TO RECONSIDER A CENSORSHIP DECISION TO THAN TO "DIRECT" THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER THE CENSORSHIP DECISION.
MR YEUNG SAID THE WORD "DIRECT" MIGHT GIVE A
GOVERNMENT OF THERE BEING UNDUE INTERFERENCE BY THE PROCEEDINGS.
FALSE IMPRESSION IN THE BOARD'S
/HE ALSO