XN000022-1993-09-03 — Page 7

ON

6

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

OF RIGHTS AND 1 JUST SAY IN PARENTHESIS THAT WHEN TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO PRE-PATTEN, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT OUR POSITION ON CENSORSHIP WAS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS NOBODY THEN SAID WELL, HANG ABOUT A BIT, WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE TAKEN TO COURT', PEOPLE SAID, QUITE RIGHTLY, YOU MUST ACT NOW AND BRING YOUR LAWS ON CENSORSHIP INTO LINE WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS'. BUT THERE WERE THREE COURSES OF ACTION THAT WE COULD HAVE TAKEN.

+

ALLOW

THE FIRST WAS TO WAIT UNTIL WE WERE TAKEN TO COURT AND THE COURTS TO DECIDE THE MATTER FOR US. I DON'T THINK THAT IS A VERY HONOURABLE WAY OF BEHAVING AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS A VERY SENSIBLE WAY IN AN EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT WHERE THE EXECUTIVE HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE AND OPERATE WITHIN THE

OF

THE RULE OF LAW.

CONTEXT

SECONDLY, SOME PROPLE SAY *WELL, YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD A CONSULTATION PERIOD'. IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE WOULD HAVE EITHER HAVE HAD TO HAVE HAD A MORATORIUM ON OUR LOCALISATION POLICY WHICH WOULD HAVE, OF COURSE, I THINK ANNOYED SOME OF THE UNIONS WHO'VE ANYWAY BEEN ANNOYED OR, SECONDLY, WE WOULD HAVE GONE AHEAD WITH OUR LOCALISATION POLICY AS

THE IT WAS AND STILL AS LIKE AS NOT GOT TAKEN TO COURT. ISSUE HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. IT'S BEEN ADDRESSED SINCE LAST JANUARY.

WE WERE WELL AWARE OF THE SORT OF ATTITUDES THAT PEOPLE WOULD TAKE. SO WE CONCLUDED THAT THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION WAS THE THIRD AND IT'S THE ONE WE TOOK, NAMELY, TO GO FOR AN INTERIM SOLUTION WHILE WE LOOKED FOR A LONG TERM SOLUTION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE UNIONS AND WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE PRC. I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO PROCEED BUT GOVERNMENT, AS I SAID EARLIER, IS TO A CONSIDERABLE EXTENT ABOUT TAKING TOUGH DECISIONS WHEN ALL THE AVAILABLE COURSES OF ACTION LOOK PRETTY HAIRY, LOOK PRETTY DIFFICULT.

AS FOR TAKING THE PETITION, YOU WILL KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FETCH UP AT THE GATES HERE OR FETCH UP AT THE AIRPORT WITH A PETITION AND I DON'T TAKE THEM. I THINK I TOOK ONE RIGHT AT THE OUTSET. IF I WAS TO TAKE EVERY PETITION ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT WOULD DO WOULD BE TO PERMANENTLY CLOSE THE ROAD OUT THERE OR THE ROAD DOWN THERE. AS A MATTER OF, I HOPE STABILITY WHEN I GO DOWN TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS, TO THE GOVERNMENT OFFICES BELOW AND THERE'S SOMEBODY WAITING WITH A PETITION I OR MY ADC OR ONE OF MY POLICE COLLEAGUES TAKE IT BUT [ CERTAINLY HAVEN'T MADE A PRACTICE OF STOPPING THE CAR WHENEVER ANYBODY SHAKES AN ENVELOPE AT ME. BUT I REPEAT WHAT I SAID EARLIER, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A MEETING WITH CIVIL SERVICE LEADERS LATER THIS MONTH,

AND IF INDIVIDUAL GROUPS OF CIVIL SERVANTS, IF INDIVIDUAL UNIONS, WISH TO SEE ME THEY SHOULD WRITE IN AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, THOUGH MY DIARY HAS FEWER HOLES IN IT THAN I MIGHT LIKE.

QUESTION:

LEGISLATURE

IT TRUE AND IF FINALLY WE YOU'VE

MR PATTEN, YOU'VE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF A CREDIBLE

IS AND THE ELECTIONS SHOULD BE CLEAN AND FAIR. THAT IT IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOTH SIDES? CANNOT

THE TWO TARGETS, THE TWO OBJECTIVES REACH WILL

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GO ALONE WITHOUT THE CHINA?

MENTIONED.

ANY AGREEMENT WITH

/GOVERNOR