XN000022-1989-05-31 — Page 27

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1989

25

CALL TO INCLUDE PREAMBLE IN BASIC LAW TEXT

* *

AN INTEGRAL PART

OF TEXT.

THE PREAMBLE OF THE BASIC LAW SHOULD BE THE DOCUMENT AND SHOULD CARRY THE SAME LEGAL EFFECT AS THE BODY THE HON EDWARD HO SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY 1.

BASIC LAW, MR HO SPEAKING IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON THE DRAFT

STATED IN THE PREAMBLE WERE "ABSOLUTELY PRINCIPLES SAID THE TWO

FOR AND THE PRECEPTS FRAMEWORK THE CRUCIAL" AS THEY PROVIDED

TO FUTURE INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MINI-CONSTITUTION.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REGION (HKSAR) WOULD BE IN THE CONSTITUTION OF BASIC POLICIES OF

THE BY

CHINESE

HE WAS REFERRING TO THE PRINCIPLES THAT THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 31 OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC) AND THAT THE

HAD

ELABORATED THE PRC REGARDING HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION.

BEEN

"ONE OF

·

COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS" MR HO OF ARTICLE 31 OF THE CONSTITUTION AUTHORITY AND CLARITY THAT

THE

LAW BASIC

AND THE

UNDER THE PRINCIPLE DOUBTED WHETHER THE PROVISIONS ALONE, AS IT STOOD, PROVIDED SUFFICIENT THERE WOULD NOT CONSTITUTION.

BE ANY

CONFLICT

BETWEEN

MAKE DETAILED EXAMINATION HE URGED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO

CONSTITUTION AS THE SLIGHTEST OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE UNCERTAINTY COULD RESULT IN CHAOS IN THE YEARS TO COME,

DIFFICULT WOULD, ON THE

HE ADDED THAT IN READING THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, IT WAS TO CONSTRUCT IN ONE'S MIND A MODEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT

AND BALANCES CHECKS

BETWEEN THE ONE HAND, HAVE THE NECESSARY

OF AUTHORITIES

THE GOVERNMENT TO EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATIVE PREVENT THE ABUSE OF POWER; AND ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT THE AUTHORITIES WOULD HAVE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT FROM THE LEGISLATURE THE PROPER AND EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF A STABLE GOVERNMENT.

EXECUTIVE

FOR

BETWEEN AGREED

"I THEREFORE ENDORSE THE PROPOSALS ON THE RELATIONSHIP THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN

THE

COUNCILS, LEGISLATIVE AMONGST MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND SAID.

MR HO NOTED THAT IN MEMBERS' ATTEMPT TO REACH HAD TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS INTO ACCOUNT:

OF

HE

CONSENSUS, THEY

DEMOCRACY, HONG KONG WANTED FULL WHETHER THE PEOPLE

WHETHER 1.E. UNIVERSAL FRANCHISE, AS THE ULTIMATE GOAL; AND

BE EVOLUTIONARY AND TOWARDS THAT THE MOVE

GOAL

SHOULD

GRADUAL;

THAT WHILST THE PACE

OF DEVELOPMENT

SUCH

DEVELOPMENT

WOULD

OF DEMOCRACY SHOULD

RELATE TO THE POLITICAL MATURITY OF THE PEOPLE, A CLEAR TIME

TABLE FOR

A PROVIDE

MUCH-NEEDED

CERTAINTY:

THAT IN .***