XN000022-1992-10-23 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1992

FORTUNATELY,

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ABOUT

THAT QUESTION OF STANDARDS AND I DON'T JUST SAY THAT BECAUSE I AM GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG IS NOT AN ISSUE IN THIS COMMUNITY, NOT AN ISSUE IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN, I THINK, IN THE UNITED STATES, NOT AN ISSUE IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. BUT AN ISSUE THAT WE DO HAVE IN HONG KONG, IN COMMON WITH THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, IS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE SHOULD INTRODUCE HERE, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LEGISLATION, AND IT'S A SUBJECT ON WHICH THERE IS A BOISTEROUS AND WHOLLY LEGITIMATE DEBATE. I'M BOUND TO SAY THAT I HAVE DOUBTS THE VALUE OF DECLARATORY LEGISLATION, THOUGH I WAS, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE MINISTER WHO PUT INTO LAW PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO INFORMATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. I THINK GENERAL DECLARATORY LEGISLATION SOMETIMES HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT WHAT WAS INTENDED. BUT I AM PREPARED, IN HONG KONG, TO LOOK AT ISSUE AGAIN, TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE WITH MY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WHICH ON IT A COUPLE OF THE BEST AND MOST DISTINGUISHED LAWYERS IN COMMUNITY, AND I ALSO WANT US TO REVIEW THE LAWS WHICH OUR JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION HERE IN HONG KONG, THINKS MIGHT BE IN BREACH OF OUR RECENT BILL OF RIGHTS.

OF

THE

HAS

THIS

I GUESS THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVENING'S DINNER IS TO CELEBRATE THE VALUES REPRESENTED BY A FREE PRESS, AND I'M DELIGHTED TO BE WITH YOU HERE TO DO EXACTLY THAT. AND I'M DELIGHTED, AS WELL, ΤΟ BE ABLE TO POINT TO THE VITALITY OF OUR FREE PRESS IN HONG KONG. POLITICAL LEADERS IN A FREE SOCIETY ARE BOUND TO YOU IN THE PRESS BY AN UMBILICAL CORD, SO WE SHOULDN'T GRUMBLE WHEN YOU SCOURGE US FOR OUR FAILINGS, OR EVEN SCOURGE US FOR WHAT WE THINK ARE OUR VIRTUES. AFTER ALL,

WE ARE ALL OF US IN PUBLIC LIFE A LITTLE LIKE MAE WEST. "IT'S BETTER" SHE SAID, "TO BE LOOKED OVER THAN TO BE OVERLOOKED. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BETTER MOTTO FOR A POLITICAL LEADER IN A FREE SOCIETY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

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GOVERNOR,

THIS

P

FROM MORNING SOME OF OUR PARTY CAME QUESTION: BEIJING AND DURING OUR STAY THERE WE HEARD NOT AN IMPOLITE WORD UNTIL BUT ON YOUR NAME WAS MENTIONED. I SUPPOSE THAT WAS NOT SURPRISING

WE HEARD RETURNING HERE WE STAY HERE ONLY A FEW HOURS, AS YOU KNOW

WE'VE HEARD QUITE A DIFFERENT REACTION WHEN YOUR NAME WAS MENTIONED.

ON THE ONE HAND, THERE ARB TWO THINGS IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS.

AND Ι PEOPLE WHO EXPRESS THEIR GREAT ADMIRATION AND SUPPORT FOR YOU, WAS NOT SURPRISED BY THAT. 1 WAS SURPRISED BY THOSE WHO HAVE SAID IN WHY DID THESE LAST FEW HOURS: DOES HIS GOVERNMENT REALLY MEANT IT?

THE WILL HIS GOVERNMENT STAY

COURSE? HIS GOVERNMENT WAIT SO LONG?

I PUT THOSE QUESTIONS TO WILL THEY PUSH FOR THESE DEMOCRATIC VALUES? YOU,

NOT BECAUSE HAVING READ ABOUT YOU AND LISTENED TO YOU TONIGHT DOUBT THEM, OR THE ANSWER TO YOU, BUT I PUT THEM TO YOU SO THAT MIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THOSE WHO HAVE RAISED THEM.

I

YOU

/GOVERNOR: I'LL