10 -
It was claimed that the Bill of Rights Ordinance had been used by Vietnamese migrants denied refugee status to delay their return to Vietnam. In the very few judicial review cases which the Government has lost in this area, the Bill of Rights Ordinance wasn't the deciding issue at all. Indeed the Bill of Rights Ordinance specifically provides that it does not affect immigration legislation governing the entry into, stay in and departure from Hong Kong of persons who don't have the right of abode here.
Similar claims, and I could go on at this sort of length. Similar claims made about the recovery of drug proceeds, which were wrong and we'll write to the honourable member because I'm sure he'll want to know what the facts are.
wrong.
Similar claims made about the enforcement of drug laws which were wrong.
Similar claims made about the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance that was
So strong case for more human rights education and I'm delighted to say that one of the issues on which the Human Rights Committee in Geneva congratulated the Hong Kong Government, was that they thought we were doing a good deal more to educate people about human rights and their civil liberties here in Hong Kong.
Perhaps I can add one other point. What has happened in the last years since the Bill of Rights Ordinance was introduced? What has happened is that our courts have shown a considerable sense of balance in weighing up, on the one hand the importance of protecting human rights, and on the other, broader interests such as the importance of fighting organised crime. They've struck that balance in a very sensible way and doubtless a consequence of that is that Hong Kong hasn't been ravaged by crime. The suggestion that the Bill of Rights has led to the breakdown of law and order in Hong Kong is probably, of all the crazy things I've heard since I've been Governor of Hong Kong, the maddest of all.