XN000022-1992-05-01 — Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1992

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GOVERNOR BRIEFS MR PATTEN ON HONG KONG ISSUES

THE GOVERNOR, LORD WILSON, SAID DURING HIS VISIT ΤΟ LONDON HE HAD GONE THROUGH WITH MR PATTEN A LOT OF ISSUES WHICH MR PATTEN WOULD HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS ON HIS RETURN AT THE AIRPORT TODAY (FRIDAY), LORD WILSON SAID THE VISIT GAVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY ΤΟ MEET THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR DOUGLAS HURD, AND THE NEW MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, MR ALASTAIR GOODLAD.

"ALSO, THE TIMING WAS VERY GOOD BECAUSE IT GAVE ME MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET AND TALK WITH MR CHRIS PATTEN AND WITH MRS PATTEN AND TO GIVE THEM SOME ACCOUNT OF WHAT LIFE IS LIKE AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG AND ALSO TO GO THROUGH WITH HIM A LOT OF THE ISSUES WHICH HE WILL HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH WHEN HE ARRIVES TO TAKE OVER MY PLACE IN JULY," HE ADDED.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ABOUT HIS FAREWELL VISIT TO BEIJING, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "JUNE SEEMS TO BE THE BEST TIME BUT I AM STILL TRYING TO IDENTIFY A DATE.

"I HOPE IT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO GO AND SAY FAREWELL TO A NUMBER OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH VERY CLOSELY OVER THE YEARS ON HONG KONG AFFAIRS. THAT WILL BE THE MAIN PURPOSE."

ASKED ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD TELL BEIJING ABOUT MR PATTEN DURING THE VISIT, LORD WILSON SAID: "I'LL CERTAINLY SAY HE IS A MAN OF VERY HIGH ABILITY AND WITH A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE OF POLITICAL LIFE IN BRITAIN AND THAT I AM SURE THAT HE WILL ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE ΤΟ HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA AS INDEED I HAVE WHEN I HAVE BEEN GOVERNOR.

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FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO EMPLOYMENT LAW PROPOSED

THE GOVERNMENT IS INTRODUCING A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE TO ENSURE THAT WORKERS WILL NOT BE UNFAIRLY DEPRIVED OF THEIR ENTITLEMENTS TO SEVERANCE PAYMENT AND LONG SERVICE PAYMENT.

THESE AMENDMENTS, AIMED AT PROVIDING A FAIR TREATMENT FOR BOTH EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS, ARE CONTAINED IN THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT} (NO. 4) BILL 1992 GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY) FOR INTRODUCTION INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LATER THIS MONTH.

UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, AN EMPLOYER WHO IS DISMISSED AS A RESULT OF HIS EMPLOYER'S MOVING THE BUSINESS PREMISES ACROSS HARBOUR WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR SEVERANCE PAYMENT, IF THE EMPLOYEE COMPLETED TWO YEARS' SERVICE WITH THE EMPLOYER.

THE

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