XN000022-1994-04-13 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1994

NO.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS

DOING,

GOVERNOR:

LIKE THE SENSIBLE GOVERNMENT IT IS, IS TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME ACCOMMODATION BETWEEN

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE VILLAGERS, AND ALL THOSE WHO RESPONDED TO OUR DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ON THE POSITION OF WOMEN AND THE COMMUNITY IN SUCH LARGE NUMBERS, SAYING THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE THE POSITION ON THE INHERITANCE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THE MOMENT TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION. IT IS NOT A QUESTION IN THE PRESENT BILL OF TAKING AWAY THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENT BILL AS YOU KNOW, WAS TO DEAL WITH THE WORRIES THAT 340,000 PEOPLE IN THE URBAN AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE EXPERIENCING AS A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT IT LOOKED AS THOUGH THE TRADITIONAL INHERITANCE LAWS MIGHT AFFECT THEM. THE POSITION OF WOMEN IS ALSO AN ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION, AND GIVEN THAT 90% OF THOSE REACTED TO OUR DISCUSSION PAPER TOOK THE VIEW THAT WOMEN'S POSITION SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDED, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS WELL. BUT I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BUILD THE BRIDGE, AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE ΤΟ INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS REALLY BEING DISCUSSED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE ANXIETIES ARE MISPLACED AND ARE BASED ON MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS INTENDED.

QUESTION: UNREASONABLE?

ARE

YOU IMPLYING THAT THE PREVIOUS

POSITION IS

THE

I

GOVERNOR: WHAT I AM IMPLYING IS THAT AS THE 90% OF 1,100, 1,200 RESPONDENTS TO OUR GREEN PAPER SAID THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IN RELATION TO INHERITANCE DOES IN OUR JUDGEMENT HAVE ΤΟ BE LOOKED AT AGAIN. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY, JUDGING BY PHONE-IN PROGRAMMES AND THE POLLS AND SO ON, DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO THINK THAT POSITION CAN BE SIMPLY UNCHANGED. BUT WE DO WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN THOSE CHANGES IN A WAY WHICH IS UNDERSTOOD BY THE VILLAGERS, WHICH THEY RECOGNISE DOESN'T THREATEN ANY OF THEIR TRADITIONAL LANDS OR

TRADITIONAL CONCERNS.

THE

ΤΟ

QUESTION: THE FAC SUGGESTED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GO ALONE ON THE POLITICAL ISSUES, IS THERE ANY DIFFICULTIES FOR YOU TO DO THAT?

NOT AT ALL. WE'VE PUT THREE PIECES OF LEGISLATION NOW THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TWO HAVE BEEN PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THE THIRD ONE IS AT PRESENT BEING CONSIDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THEY PASS THAT ONE TOO.

GOVERNOR:

AND WHAT

QUESTION: GOVERNOR YOU'VE SAID THAT THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE A COVER- UP NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. HAS THERE BEEN A COVER-UP SO FAR, WOULD YOU DO ABOUT IT?

/GOVERNOR: