WEDNESDAY, OCTOPER 6, 1993
33
то ENJOY
NON- FAIL
JLG IS CURRENTLY DISCUSSING WHO WILL BE ENTITLED THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE TERRITORY AFTER 1997. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF VITAL CONCERN TO PEOPLE BOTH OF CHINESE AND CHINESE ORIGIN IN THIS COMMUNITY. IF THE JLG WERE TO TO REACH CLEAR-CUT CONCLUSIONS ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUR, SOME MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY WOULD FACE REAL UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE IN THE TERRITORY.
THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT THESE WERE JUST A FEW ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES, AND THE FULL LIST OF OUTSTANDING JLG MATTERS WAS A DAUNTING ONE.
"BUT THERE IS NO ACCEPTABLE REASON WHY THE EXPERIENCED TEAMS ON BOTH SIDES SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEAL QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY WITH THESE MATTERS.
"THEY OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO ENSURE THAT THEIR AGENDA IS COMPLETED BY 1997," THE GOVERNOR SAID.
FUNDS TO ENSURE LOCALISATION OF LAWS ON SCHEDULE
* * * * *
ADDITIONAL FUNDS WILL BE ALLOCATED TO THE SPECIAL UNIT IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO ADVANCE WORK ON THE LOCALISATION OF HONG KONG LAWS TO BRING THEM INTO LINE WITH THE BASIC LAW AND TO ENSURE SUCH WORK REMAINS ON SCHEDULE, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (WENDESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MR PATTEN SAID IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF BILLS WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGCO IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS ΤΟ LOCALISE LEGISLATION,
IN THE 1993/94 LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME, 10 OF THESE BILLS HAD BEEN INCLUDED.
"THERE IS A GREAT DEAL TO BE DONE, AND NOT MUCH TIME TO DO IT, IF WE ARE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A COMPLETE SET OF LAWS CAPABLE OF CONTINUING BEYOND 1997.
"IF PROGRESS IN THE JLG DOES NOT SPEED UP SIGNIFICANTLY, THERE IS A HIGH RISK THAT THE WORK WILL NOT BE FINISHED BEFORE 1997, AND WE WILL THEN FACE A LEGAL VACUUM.
"IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE FOR US TO LET THAT HAPPEN, AND I AM DETERMINED THAT WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP TO OUR TARGET FOR THIS EXTREMBLY IMPORTANT EXERCISE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
"
IN A BID TO IMPROVE JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY, MR PATTEN SAID A JUDICIARY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD BE IN PLACE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROMOTING A SERVICE-ORIENTED CULTURE WITHIN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
/A'T EACH