2
Transcript of Governor's media session
The following is the transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, after visiting Kowloon City District today (Wednesday).
Governor: I've enjoyed another official visit to Kowloon. The District Board here have a number of difficult problems to deal with, not least in relation to the environment, and of course in relation to the airport. The sooner we can get the new airport built, the better for the residents of Kowloon. As all of us know very well, I'm delighted to have finished my visit today with the AMS who do such a splendid job for Hong Kong. I'd like to commend all the voluntary effort that goes into this most professional organisation.
Question: Mr Patten, what's your reaction to the PWC legal sub-group's various proposals to co-operate with the Government on the adaptation of law?
Governor: I'd like to study any proposals that come forward from the Chinese side properly. Obviously, I imagine that the Chinese side who want, if they have new ideas, will want to suggest those through the JLG. But any proposal that is put forward to help us deal with the problem of adaptation of law successfully before 1997 is one that we would welcome. I think you all know that we've been making pretty good progress with the localisation of laws through the JLG. But the adaptation of laws which is a little trickier hasn't been going as rapidly. But I think that we have a shared interest in trying to get Hong Kong's legal framework in as good shape as possible by 1997, so there aren't any doubts, so there aren't any gaps. And if the PWC wanted to help with that process, we would much welcome it. I think you also know that we have briefed members of the PWC legal group informally in the past on adaptation of laws, as well as localisation of laws and other matters. There is one other issue on which I hope will see some movement soon from the Chinese side and that is over the Court of Final Appeal. We let them have our draft bill last May. We gave them some not very major technical amendments that have been agreed by the Executive Council in response to representations we received from the legal profession, just before the Chinese New Year. And obviously the sooner we can get on and put the Court of Final Appeal in place, the better for everyone. I hope we'll get a fairly rapid response from Chinese officials. I certainly hope they should have time to consider the entirely faithful way in which we put into legislation the agreement that was reached in the JLG in 1991.
Question: Is it just a flexible way as you suggested in your policy address to let the PWC members sit as experts in the JLG?