XN000022-1986-11-26 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1986

MR THOMAS NOTED THAT FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE WERE SOME 300 LOCAL OFFICERS OCCUPYING DIRECTORATE POSTS, BUT NOW THERE WERE 500.

AT THE SENIOR PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, THE NUMBER OF LOCAL OFFICERS HAD INCREASED FROM 750 TO 1 150 DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

MR THOMAS SAID WHILE THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THE CONTRIBUTION OF CONTRACT OFFICERS, THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR TRANSFER TO THE PERMANENT ESTABLISHMENT, IF THEY WANTED A PERMANENT CAREER IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

+ THE ADMINISTRATION THEREFORE INTENDS TO CONTINUE WITH ITS AL AND CAREFUL POLICY OF LOCALISATION WHILE SAFEGUARDING THE QUALITY OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC SERVICE HONG KONG NEEDS,+ HE SAID.

+TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE ONLY 97 OVERSEAS OFFICERS OUT OF 1 460 (THAT IS ONLY ONE IN 15) WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR A FRESH CONTRACT IN THE PAST THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL.+

COMMENTING ON THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW WHICH SAFEGUARD FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, MR THOMAS POINTED OUT THAT IN HONG KONG GREATER IMPORTANCE WAS ATTACHED TO THE LAW IN THIS FIELD.

+ THE COMMON LAW HAS AN ESSENTIAL PART TO PLAY NOT ONLY IN SAFEGUARDING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, BUT ALSO IN ENSURING THAT VICTIMS OF THE ABUSE OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION ARE PROTECTED AND THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE ARE NOT THREATENED BY STIRRING UP ALARM OR VIOLENCE AMONG ORDINARY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

+THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AMONG OUR ORDINANCES, ON THIS TOPICS AS ON SOME OTHERS, ONE CAN FIND PROVISIONS WHICH WERE INTRODUCED TO MEET SOME TRANSIENT PROBLEM AND WHICH NO LONGER HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN THE MODERN PROSPEROUS AND STABLE COMMUNITY WHICH HONG KONG HAS BECOME,+ HE CONTINUED.

TURNING TO THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT IT WAS ENACTED IN 1951, TO REPLACÉ EMERGENCY LEGISLATION WHICH PRECEDED IT, AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF POLITICAL UPHEAVAL IN CHINA.

+IT WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WAS MUCH CONCERN THAT THE SECURITY OF THE TERRITORY MIGHT BE DAMAGED BY SEDITIOUS OR SUBVERSIVE MATERIAL PUBLISHED LOCALLY. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE HAVE ONLY VERY RARELY BEEN USED AND FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, NOT AT ALL. SOME OF THEM OVERLAP WITH OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ANYWAY, HE ADDED,

MR THOMAS ALSO