XN000022-1990-06-27 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1990

"THIS PROPOSAL ACHIEVES WHAT IS SO WIDELY DESIRED, NAMELY A GUARANTEE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN HONG KONG, MR MATHEWS SAID.

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OVER 800 SUBMISSIONS HAD BEEN RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST BY THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS FOR COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT BILL OF RIGHTS SINCE IT WAS PUBLISHED IN MARCH.

MANY OF THESE

WERE FROM PROFESSIONAL OR COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS, THE BUSINESS SECTOR AND INTEREST GROUPS. THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF RETURNS FROM INDIVIDUALS.

"WHAT EMERGES FROM THE SUBMISSIONS IS SOMETHING WHICH IS VERY HEART! NING AND BODES WELL FOR THE FUTURE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW IN HONG KONG.

"NEARLY ALL OF THE SUBMISSIONS SUPPORTED THE PRINCIPLE OF A BILL OF RIGHTS FOR HONG KONG AND THE DIRECT INCORPORATION INTO OUR LEGAL SYSTEM OF INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED MINIMUM STANDARDS OF HUMAN RIGHTS," HE SAID.

MR MATHEWS SAID THOSE SUBMISSIONS WHICH HAD DEALT WITH THE LEGAL-TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE BILL HAD BEEN VERY USEFUL IN PROVOKING FURTHER THOUGHT. THERE WERE, FOR EXAMPLE, SUBMISSIONS SUGGESTING THAT PART I OF THE DRAFT BILL MIGHT BE REVISED SO AS TO MAKE IT A MORE EFFECTIVE PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

THE SUBMISSIONS INCLUDED IN PARTICULAR CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND FROM MANY ACADEMICS.

"IN ADDITION TO THE SUBMISSIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND INTERESTED GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS, IT IS ALSO RIGHT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTION WHICH THE MEDIA HAS MADE TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DRAFT BILL, HE SAID.

MR

"

MATHEWS SAID THE PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP AND THE MANY USEFUL AND PENETRATING COMMENTS IN SUBMISSIONS WERE NOW BEING STUDIED BY THE ADMINISTRATION WITH THE UTMOST CARE.

SUBJECT TO THE FURTHER ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID, THE HONG KONG BILL OF RIGHTS BILL WOULD BE INTRODUCED FORMALLY INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JULY 25.

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HE POINTED OUT THAT SOME OF THE PROPOSALS AND COMMENTS DID RELATE SO MUCH TO THE CONTENT OF THE DRAFT BILL AS TO ITS ANTICIPATED EFFECT.

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*AN EXAMPLE IS THE PROPOSAL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OR SOME SIMILAR BODY FOR HONG KONG. WE SHALL CONSIDER THE IDEA CAREFULLY, RECOGNISING THAT SUCH A COMMISSION CAN HAVE A ROLE IN EDUCATING INDIVIDUALS AS TO THEIR RIGHTS AND COULD ALSO BE AN INFORMAL AND INEXPENSIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION BODY.

"BUT WE MUST GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT AS TO WHETHER SUCH A COMMISSION IS REALLY NECESSARY, HAVING REGARD TO OUR EXISTING AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM, MR MATHEWS SAID.

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LEGAL

/HE SAID