WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1989
1
SENIOR MEMBER RESTATES HK'S CASE ON RIGHT OF ABODE
HONG KONG BY
HONG KONG'S CASE ON A RIGHT OF ABODE IN BRITAIN FOR PEOPLE WAS REITERATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE SENIOR MEMBER, THE HON ALLEN LEE.
IN A STATEMENT TO THE COUNCIL, MR LEE REFERRED ΤΟ THE VISIT THAT HE AND THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE HON DAME LYDIA DUNN, HAD MADE TO LONDON TO PRESS HONG KONG'S CASE ON THE ISSUE.
HE SAID THE THEME THEY HAD PUT BEFORE THE BRITISH COULD BE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS:
GOVERNMENT
"HONG KONG IS OUR HOME. WE DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE. TO STAY, OUR ANXIETIES MUST BE ALLAYED. OUR ANXIETIES CAN ONLY BE ALLAYED IF THERE IS AN INSURANCE POLICY, BRITAIN HAS THE POWER, THE RESPONSIBILITY, TO PROVIDE US WITH THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN BRITAIN."
MR LEE SAID THAT SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, MANY PEOPLE HAD SOUGHT AN INSURANCE POLICY IN THE FORM OF A SECOND PASSPORT SO THAT IF THE PROMISES IN THE JOINT DECLARATION WERE NOT KEPT, THEY WOULD AT LEAST HAVE AN ALTERNTIVE HOME, A HOME OF RESORT.
LAST
FORM
HE SAID THE ANXIOUS SEARCH BY INCREASING NUMBERS FOR THIS OF INSURANCE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAD BEEN DISRUPTIVE то THE COMMUNITY AND THREATENED THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WITH
SOME HAD LEFT FOR GOOD. MANY FAMILIES HAD TO BE SEPARATED ONE SPOUSE LIVING THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY IN U.S.A.. CANADA OR AUSTRALIA TO QUALIFY FOR RESIDENCY,
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IT IS SAD TO SEE FAMILIES TORN APART BECAUSE THEY ARE WORRIED FOR THEIR FUTURE. HE SAID.
FF
HE SAID THAT HONG KONG WAS VALUABLE TO CHINA. BUT HONG KONG'S CONTINUED SUCCESS AND ITS VALUE ΤΟ CHINA DEPENDED ON ITS PEOPLE. WITHOUT THEM, AND WITHOUT THEIR COMPLETE COMMITMENT, HONG KONG WOULD NOT THRIVE.
AND IF HONG KONG DID NOT REMAIN PROSPEROUS AND USEFUL TO CHINA.
TO THERE WOULD BE LITTLE INCENTIVE FOR CHINA
KEEP ITS PROMISE OF "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS"
FOR THE SAKE OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE ROLE, THE PEOPLE OF HONG
FORM OF KONG NEEDED AN INSURANCE NOW IN THE
A RIGHT OF ABODE IN
DID BRITAIN IF THINGS
NOT WORK OUT. THEY NEEDED THAT ASSURANCE WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE HONG KONG, HE SAID.
"WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS FOR RADIO, TELEVISION PRINT MEDIA. THERE IS NOW A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON THE BRITISH PUBLIC," HE SAID.
AND
PART OF THE
/THE RESPONSE