XN000022-1993-07-15 — Page 10

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1993

GOVERNOR: PLAINLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY RAISED THE QUESTION WITH HIS DISTINGUISHED OPPOSITE NUMBER WAS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT WHOLLY SATISFIED ABOUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE. LET'S BE CLEAR, THE COMMITMENT TO THE TERMS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IS WRITTEN INTO NOT ONLY THE JOINT DECLARATION BUT ALSO INTO THE BASIC LAW. WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE TERMS OF THAT AGREEMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IS REGULAR REPORTING BY, IN THE PRESENT CASE, BRITAIN WHICH IS THE SOVEREIGN POWER. THAT REGULAR REPORTING WILL, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, STILL BE REQUIRED OF CHINA THE FUTURE SOVEREIGN POWER EVEN THOUGH CHINA IS NOT HERSELF A SIGNATORY OF THE CONVENTION. I DON'T WISH ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS, STANDING ABOVE ME TO COMMENT ON WHAT CHINA SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT DO BUT IT'S HARDLY SURPRISING IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY SHOULD ARGUE THAT THE SIMPLEST WAY OF RESOLVING THIS MATTER WOULD BE FOR CHINA, THOUGH IT'S MATTER FOR THE EXERCISE OF CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY, HERSELF TO SIGN UP THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS. THAT'S PLAINLY THE EASIEST WAY OF RESOLVING THE ISSUE AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE A WAY OF RESOLVING THE ISSUE WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A GREAT DEAL OF CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND A GREAT DEAL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WHICH LOOKS TOWARDS A SUCCESSFUL HONG KONG AS AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION.

A

то

MR PRESIDENT: THE GOVERNOR WILL NOW ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THE SUBJECT OF LAW AND ORDER.

GOVERNOR: I'M VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS VITAL TOPIC WITH HONOURABLE MEMBERS THIS AFTERNOON. LAW AND ORDER IS A SUBJECT AFTER ALL ABOUT WHICH THE COMMUNITY IS UNDERSTANDABLY AND RIGHTLY CONCERNED. THE TERM EMBRACES A WIDE RANGE OF RESPONSIBILITIES, THE WORK OF OUR POLICEMEN AND WOMEN ON THE BEAT, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, SMUGGLING, HUMAN RIGHTS, CORRUPTION. A WHOLE SERIES OF DISPARATE SUBJECTS, BUT ONE FOUNDATION UNDERPINS THEM ALL -THE RULE OF LAW. THE RULE OF LAW FORMS THE BEDROCK OF OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR WAY OF LIFE IN THIS TERRITORY. ONE OF THE MOST INSIDIOUS THREATS TO THAT RULE OF LAW IS CORRUPTION. IT IS ON THE INCREASE AND WE MUST FIGHT IT WITH ALL THE MEANS AT OUR DISPOSAL. THE ICAC WILL BE IN THE VANGUARD BUT IT WILL BE UP TO ALL OF US, BUSINESS LEADERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL TO JOIN TOGETHER IN STATING IN THE PLAINEST TERMS CORRUPTION IN HONG KONG WOULD DESTROY HONG KONG AND WE WILL NOT TOLERATE IT. THE SAME GOES FOR ORGANISED CRIME AND TRIAD ACTIVITIES. THERE IS NOTHING GLAMOUROUS ABOUT TRIADS; THEY EXTORT MONEY FROM SHOPKEEPERS AND HAWKERS, FROM PUBS AND FROM CLUBS, FROM THE DRIVERS OF BUSES AND TAXIS. THEY MASTERMIND PIMPING, THEY PUSH DRUGS TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY'RE INVOLVED IN EVERY KIND OF CRIME. WE MUST CONFRONT THIS MENACE. THE ORGANISED AND SERIOUS CRIMES BILL IS NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THIS COUNCIL. IT PROPOSES MUCH TOUGHER INVESTIGATIVE POWERS FOR THE POLICE IN CRACKING DOWN ON CRIMINAL SYNDICATES. IT WILL NOT SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS WE FACE OVERNIGHT BUT IT WILL HELP US TO COMBAT THE TRIAD SCOURGE. HONOURABLE MEMBERS WILL GIVE IT SPEEDY PASSAGE.

Ι HOPE

/WE MUST

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