XN000022-1988-05-18 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1988

FILM CENSORSHIP BILL ACCEPTABLE TO COMMUNITY

WHICH NOT ALSO

THE FILM CENSORSHIP BILL 1988 REPRESENTS A PACKAGE ONLY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE INTERESTS OF ALL PARTIES, BUT SHOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG HON YEUNG PO-KWAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR YEUNG WAS SPEAKING DURING THE Resumed deBATE ON READING OF THE BILL.

KONG, THE

THE SECOND

WAS HE NOTED THAT ONE MAJOR AREA OF DEBATE CONCERNING THE BILL

THE ON

GROUND THAT ITS THE CENSOR'S POWER TO BAN OR EXCISE A FILM

GOOD RELATIONS WITH EXHIBITION WOULD SERIOUSLY DAMAGE OTHER TERRITORIES.

HONG

KONG'S

TO RETAIN THIS POWER WOULD AND THE INTERNATIONAL

CONCERN HAD BEEN EXPRESSED THAT INFRINGE UPON THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS.

THAT AN

AMENDMENT

WILL BE

MADE TO FREEDOM

H

HE SAID.

"I AM NOW HAPPY TO SAY PROVIDE FOR EXPRESS STATUTORY RECOGNITION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF OF EXPRESSION ENSHRINED IN ARTICLE 19 OF THE COVENANT,

WOULD FUNCTION AS AN REFERRING TO THE BOARD OF APPEAL WHICH APPEAL CHANNEL FOR FILM PRODUCERS AGGRIEVED BY A CENSORSHIP DECISION,

BILL MR YEUNG SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP STUDYING THE

BOARD SHOUD BE THAT THE FELT STRONGLY OF WHICH HE WAS CONVENOR, CHAIRED BY A NON-OFFICIAL TO HIGHLIGHT ITS INDEPENDENT ROLE.

TO

A

HE SAID THAT THIS WOULD, SAFEGUARDS AVAILABLE IN THE BILL TO PREVENT CENSOR.

DEGREE, CERTAIN

OF ABUSE

THE ENHANCE POWER BY THE

AD HOC

GROUP'S PROPOSAL

THE GOVERNMENT WAS RECEPTIVE TO THE AND A SUITABLE PROVISION HAD BEEN MADE IN THE BILL.

GROUP'S PROPOSAL THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO AGREED TO THE AD HOC

"REFER" REQUESTS THAT THE CHIEF SECRETARY WOULD ONLY BE EMPOWERED TO

THE BOARD OF REVIEW RATHER TO RECONSIDER A CENSORSHIP DECISION TO THAN TO "DIRECT" THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER THE CENSORSHIP DECISION.

MR YEUNG SAID THE WORD "DIRECT" MIGHT GIVE A

GOVERNMENT OF THERE BEING UNDUE INTERFERENCE BY THE PROCEEDINGS.

FALSE IMPRESSION IN THE BOARD'S

/HE ALSO