XN000022-1987-03-25 — Page 4

1

2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1987

BILINGUAL LAWS DESIRABLE AND EQUITABLE'

****

IN A COMMUNITY WHERE MORE THAN 98 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION ARE CHINESE, IT IS BOTH DESIRABLE AND EQUITABLE THAT LAWS IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE ENACTED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE, THE HON PETER C WONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 AND THE INTERPRETATION AND GENERAL CLAUSES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL 1986, MR WONG SAID THE ENACTMENT OF THE TWO RELATED BILLS WOULD REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF LAW MAKING IN HONG KONG.

MR WONG IS THE CONVENER OF A 14-MEMBER LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP SET UP TO STUDY THE TWO BILLS.

HE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE GROUP MET SEVERAL TIMES AND HAD INFORMAL BUT IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LEGAL PROFESSION AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JUDICIARY AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.

HE NOTED THAT THE INFORMAL MEETINGS PROVED EXTREMELY FRUITFUL, AND THAT THE GROUP WAS INDEBTED TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND THE JUDICIARY FOR THE IR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE LAW SOCIETY DEMONSTRATED A KEEN INTEREST IN THE BILLS, AND TOOK AN ACTIVE PART IN THE DISCUSSIONS.

+ I BELIEVE CO-OPERATION OF THIS NATURE IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE. ESPECIALLY WHEN A USEFUL DIALOGUE CAN BE ESTABLISHED, THUS PAVING THE WAY FOR THE SMOOTH PASSAGE OF IMPORTANT PIECES OF LEGISLATION, + HE ADDED.

MR WONG SAID THE PRINCIPLE OF BILINGUAL LEGISLATION HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF EXTENSIVE AND INTENSIVE CONSULTATION. A DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE LAWS IN CHINESE WAS ISSUED FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION IN APRIL LAST YEAR AND AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT WAS HELD IN THE COUNCIL IN JULY.

THE PUBLIC'S WARM WELCOME TO THE PRINCIPLE OF BILINGUAL LEGISLATION AND POINTS RAISED DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE HAD BEEN OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO HIS AD HOC GROUP, HE NOTED.

MR WONG POINTED OUT THAT THE MAIN TASK OF THE GROUP WAS TO EXAMINE THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE BILLS AND THE PRACTICAL

IMPLICATIONS IN IMPLEMENTATION.

HE SAID THE BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT FINAL LEGISLATIVE POWER SHOULD REST WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND NOT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL RECEIVED THE GROUP'S METICULOUS ATTENTION AND DEPARTURES FROM THIS PRINCIPLE IN THE BILLS HAD BEEN RESOLVED.

/MR WONG