XN000022-1985-12-04 — Page 19

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1935

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PASSPORT PACKAGE SHOULD BE IMPROVED

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THE PRESENT PACKAGE REGARDING THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMPROVE ON IT BEFORE ASKING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO ACCEPT IT.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON MARTIN LEE DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE SAID HE HAD SPENT A LONG TIME TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE SO-CALLED ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A BN(0) PASSPORT.

+ I HOPE THAT A LOT OF BDTC'S WILL APPLY FOR THE NEW BN(0) PASSPORTS AS SOON AS THEY ARE INTRODUCED IN 1987; AND PRAY THAT ONE DAY IN THE NOT SO DISTANT FUTURE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS ALL OVER THE WORLD WILL BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THE BN(0) PASSPORT,+ HE SAID.

+BUT IN ALL HONESTY, I REALLY CANNOT RECOMMEND IT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG NOW, UNLESS ITS DESIGNER WERE TO MAKE IT MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE - NOT JUST BY CHANGING ITS COLOUR TO BURGUNDY, BUT BY ENDORSING ON IT A STATEMENT THAT THE HOLDER HAS AUTOMATIC PERMISSION TO ENTER THE UNITED KINGDOM, OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT, AS SUGGESTED BY MY HONOURABLE COLLEAGUE, MR JOHN SWAINE, HE ADDED.

MR LEE SAID HE AGREED WITH THE HON ALLEN LEE THAT THE MINORITY GROUPS IN HONG KONG DESERVED A BETTER DEAL THAN WHAT WAS NOW GIVEN TO THEM.

+AS THEY ARE NOT OF CHINESE ORIGIN, THEY CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO SHARE THE SAME POSITIVE FEELINGS OF SOME CHINESE IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE RETURN TO MOTHERLAND.

+MANY OF THESE NON-CHINESE BRITISH NATIONALS HAD COME TO HONG KONG NOT BECAUSE IT WAS CHINESE TERRITORY, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS BRITISH,+ HE SAID.

HE CITED FROM THE PETITION BY THE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS SAYING THAT +THEY CHOSE HONG KONG 'BECAUSE THEY HAD FAITH IN THE LAWS AND THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN AND BECAUSE THEY CHOSE TO GIVE OR TO CONTINUE THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN'.+

MR LEE ALSO QUOTED A FEW PASSAGES FROM A VERY RECENT PUBLICATION BY +THE JOINT COUNCIL FOR THE WELFARE OF IMMIGRANTS+ ENTITLED A QUESTION OF BELONGING - BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG+:

/+THAT LAW