XN000022-1993-07-15 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1993

HONG

WE MUST OF COURSE KEEP OUR CRIME PROBLEMS IN PERSPECTIVE. KONG IS ONE OF THE FEW COMMUNITIES IN THE WORLD THAT ACTUALLY HAS FALLING CRIME RATES, SOME TWO PER CENT DOWN COMPARED WITH THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR. THIS IS A GREAT TRIBUTE TO OUR POLICE FORCE; I PAY WARM TRIBUTE TO THEM TODAY. THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO DUTY, NOT TO MENTION THEIR COURAGE ARE SECOND TO NONE. AND IT'S A STRONGER POLICE FORCE TOO, WITH BETTER EQUIPMENT AND MORE MEN AND WOMEN ON THE BEAT FIGHTING CRIME AROUND THE CLOCK. SINCE LAST OCTOBER WE'VE PUT A FURTHER 350 POLICE OFFICERS ON THE BEAT AND THE NUMBERS ARE RISING EVERY MONTH. THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT WE CAN DO TO TACKLE CRIME IN HONG KONG ON OUR OWN. WE HAVE то WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN STAMPING OUT CROSS-BORDER CRIMES SUCH AS SMUGGLING, CAR THEFT AND THE IMPORT OF ILLEGAL WEAPONS. ALREADY WE'RE DOING SO AND I WARMLY WELCOME THE IMPROVED CO-OPERATION THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR. IT'S GOOD FOR HONG KONG AND GOOD FOR CHINA TOO. FINALLY I'D LIKE TO THANK HONOURABLE MEMBERS ALL YOU DO TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST CRIME AND TO EXHORT THE GOVERNMENT TO FURTHER MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN LAW AND ORDER IN HONG KONG AND I WOULD OF COURSE WANT ALSO TO COMMEND THE WORK UNDERTAKEN IN THE COMMUNITY BY THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEES.

IT'S FOR

MR PRESIDENT: MEMBERS MAY NOW PUT QUESTIONS TO THE GOVERNOR ON LAW AND ORDER. A SHOW OF HANDS PLEASE.

PRESIDENT: MEMBERS MAY NOW PUT QUESTIONS TO THE GOVERNOR ON LAW AND ORDER. A SHOW OF HANDS PLEASE.

MR JAMES TIEN: THANK YOU MR PRESIDENT. GOVERNOR, THIS YESTERDAY PASSED A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE SETTING UP OF RIGHTS COMMISSION. DO YOU THINK THIS MATTER REQUIRES TO BE AT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, AND IF NOT, WILL YOU, AS RECONSIDER THE ADMINISTRATION'S POSITION YESTERDAY ESTABLISHING A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION?

COUNCIL A HUMAN DISCUSSED GOVERNOR, AGAINST

GOVERNOR: PERHAPS I CAN, FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME THE HONOURABLE MEMBER BACK TO A CHAMBER WITH WHICH HE IS FAMILIAR. I DON'T THINK I CAN ADD то WHAT THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS SAID ABOUT A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION YESTERDAY. I THINK THE EXCHANGE THAT I HAD WITH THE HONOURABLE MEMBER EARLIER ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG ARE OF MORE RELEVANCE THAN SETTING UP ANOTHER STATUTORY BODY. IT IS NOT AN ISSUED ON WHICH I'VE GOT AN ENTIRELY CLOSED MIND, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO MAKE PROGRESS IN THAT AREA THAN TO LOOK AT NEW INSTITUTIONAL, ARRANGEMENTS. AFTER ALL, PRESUMABLY ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THAT A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION WOULD ASK ITSELF IS HOW IT COULD BE SURE THAT THE SORT OF RIGHTS WHICH IT WAS POLICING AND SEEKING TO SECURE COULD BE MAINTAINED AFTER 1997 WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT MENTIONED BARLIER. THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS ENTIRELY RIGHT IN SAYING WERE WE TO CHANGE OUR MIND, WHICH IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE, AND TO MAKE PROPOSALS IN THIS SECTOR, WE WOULD NEED TO DISCUSS THE MATTER IF IT WAS TO HAVE ANY LONG-TERM, MEANINGFUL SIGNIFICANCE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, OR INFORMALLY OUTSIDE IT. THERE WOULDN'T BE MUCH POINT IN SETTING UP A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION WHICH WASN'T GOING TO LAST VERY LONG INTO THE FUTURE.

/MR JAMES