XN000022-1989-01-11 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989

ANY POSSIBLE CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE EXISTING LAWS AND THE FUTURE BASIC LAW WILL ALSO NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED AND RESOLVED BEFORE 1997 TO ENSURE THEIR HARMONISATION.

THE NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM WILL HELP TO MAKE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO THE EXISTING LAWS FASTER AND MORE THOROUGH, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

ANOTHER MAJOR ACTIVITY FOR THE LAW DRAFTING DIVISION DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD IS THE TRANSLATION OF THE EXISTING LAWS OF HONG KONG FROM ENGLISH INTO CHINESE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID: "IN ORDER ΤΟ ENSURE THAT BOTH LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF HONG KONG'S LEGISLATION ARE CONSISTENT WITH BACH OTHER, AGREED EQUIVALENTS MUST BE SETTLED AND USED CONSISTENTLY.

"THIS IS AGAIN A TASK THAT REQUIRES EXHAUSTIVE RESEARCH INTO THE EXISTING LAWS AND FOR WHICH THE EMPLOYMENT OF MANUAL SEARCHES IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE."

HE SAID THAT THE BILINGUAL LEGAL INFORMATION COMPUTER SYSTEM WILL HELP THE DRAFTSMAN TO ACHIEVE A CONSISTENT TRANSLATION OF THE LAWS.

THIS WOULD MINIMISE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LITIGATION AND OTHER ARGUMENTS ARISING SOLELY FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF BILINGUAL

LEGISLATION.

IN ADDITION, THE

GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME WILL BE EXPEDITED SINCE STATUTORY RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED FASTER WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF COMPUTER FACILITIES.

THE NECESSARY PROVISION WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE 1989-90 DRAFT

ESTIMATES.

LORD GLENARTHUR VISITS JUNK BAY NEW TOWN, HKUST

THE MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, LORD GLENARTHUR, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TOURED JUNK BAY NEW TOWN AND VISITED THE SITE FOR THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SAI KUNG.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE ACTING

SECRETARY

FOR

DISTRICT

ADMINISTRATION, MR MICHAEL SUEN, LORD GLENARTHUR ARRIVED BY HELICOPTER AT HANG HAU AND WAS MET BY SAI KUNG DISTRICT OFFICER, MR CHRISTOPHER MUNN.

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