XN000022-1992-10-08 — Page 34

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1992

GOVERNOR'S PHONE-IN PROGRAMME ON RTHK

FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR'S RADIO PHONE-IN PROGRAMME ON RTHK THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING:

QUESTION:

SIR, YOUR PROPOSALS ARE SPLENDID AND I DON'T WANT TO SEEM TO CAVIL, HOWEVER IT IS COMMON GROUND, I THINK, THAT THE RULE OF LAW IS PARAMOUNT TO THE PRESERVATION OF OUR FREEDOMS GENERALLY, AND THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL HAS BEEN UNIVERSALLY CRITICISED, AT LEAST BY THE LEGAL COMMUNITY, TO WHICH I BELONG, AS NOT BEING SATISFACTORY. 'THE ECONOMIST' VOICES THE OPINION THAT IT IS MORE IMPORTANT ΤΟ GET THAT RIGHT THAN TO PUSH AHEAD WITH DEMOCRACY. WILL YOU BE INTENDING

TO TRY AND RE-NEGOTIATE THAT?

GOVERNOR:

WHAT I'LL BE INTENDING TO DO FIRST OF ALL, AS AN OVERALL OBJECTIVE, IS VERY STRONGLY TO SUPPORT YOUR BASIC PROPOSITION THAT THE RULE OF LAW IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL TO PRESERVING OUR WAY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, I'M ABSOLUTELY IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU ON THAT.

I THINK THAT THE CERTAINTY WHICH THE RULE OF LAW PROVIDES IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR US DOING SO WELL IN HONG KONG OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. THERE WAS A CONTROVERSY, YOU'RE RIGHT TO SAY, LAST YEAR, ABOUT THE PROPOSALS FOR THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL. WHAT I'LL WANT TO DO IS ΤΟ DISCUSS WHERE WE STAND NOW WITH MY NEW EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDES OF COURSE TWO OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED BARRISTERS IN HONG KONG, ANDREW LI AND DENIS CHANG, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WITH QUR THOUGHTS ON HOW TO TAKE THINGS FORWARD.

I THINK WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL HAVE ΤΟ DECIDE IS THIS: WHETHER THEY THINK, AND WHETHER THE COMMUNITY THINKS, THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO ASK THE UK GOVERNMENT TO RE-NEGOTIATE THE AGREEMENT. I DON'T THINK, FRANKLY, THAT WE WOULD GET VERY FAR IF WE WERE TO PRESS ON THAT ROAD WITH CHINA. SECONDLY, WHETHER WE SHOULD ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND SET UP THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL, RECKONING THAT THE REALLY CRUCIAL THING IS TO GET A GOOD COURT OF APPEAL WORKING WELL BEFORE 1997. BUT IT'S A BIG ISSUE, IT GOES RIGHT TO THE HEART OF OUR FUTURE AND YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT TO RAISE IT.

QUESTION:

THANK YOU, SIR, FOR BEING SO HELPFUL AND ENCOURAGING.

QUESTION:

AND

YOU ARE SEVERING THE LINKS BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO AT

THE DISTRICT BOARD LEVEL ALL APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL BE ABOLISHED, AND YET IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THERE WILL STILL BE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.

WILLIAM LEE: YOU MEAN IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY, YES,

QUESTION:

COULD I KNOW THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT? WHY CAN'T WE HAVE ALL DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS?

WILLIAM LEE: WHY IS IT THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM THE RURAL COMMUNITY?

/GOVERNOR: WELL