XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 37

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

* MORE FUNDS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ENABLE THE JUDICIARY TO

COURT WAITING TIMES AND TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO REDUCE

AID.

IN

HIS

LEGAL

PATTEN

MR POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SAID THE COMPREHENSIVE AND AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME WOULD COST $235 MILLION IN ANNUAL RECURRENT EXPENDITURE.

ON PRESS FREEDOM, HE SAID THE PROGRAMME TO RESTRICTIONS ON PRESS FREEDOM WOULD BE CONTINUED.

FIFTY-THREE

REMOVE THE LEGAL

SEPARATE PROVISIONS IN 27 ORDINANCES HAVE BEEN EXAMINED. OF THESE, THE ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO AMEND 37 PROVISIONS BY THE END OF THE NEW LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THIS LEAVES 16 PROVISIONS WHICH IT DOES NOT PROPOSE ΤΟ AMEND BECAUSE THEY EXIST TO PROTECT THE INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY OR THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HE SAID.

FUTURE.

MR PATTEN SAID THE RULE OF LAW WAS ESSENTIAL FOR HONG KONG'S

FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, HE SAID THE RULE LAW WAS CRUCIAL.

"WITHOUT

OF

THERE IS NO PROTECTION AGAINST CORRUPTION,

IT, NEPOTISM OR EXPROPRIATION.

"ONLY UNDER THE RULE OF LAW ARE BUSINESSMEN GUARANTEED LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AND THE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT WHICH THEY HE SAID.

THE NEED;"

GOVERNMENT AND LEGÇO TO STRENGTHEN CO-OPERATION * * * * *

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID PRACTICAL CO- OPERATION BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COULD BE STRENGTHENED BY PRESENTING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WITH A STATEMENT OUTLINING THE MAIN ITEMS OF LEGISLATION ON WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SEEK THEIR SUPPORT.

TOGETHER WITH THE POLICY SPEECH, THE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES A SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS WHICH IT PLANS TO INTRODUCE IN THE CURRENT SESSION.

"I WANT TO EMPHASISE THAT THIS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, AND IT WILL, OF COURSE, BE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT.

"MEMBERS WILL FIND THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS ANOTHER YEAR OF CHALLENGING LEGISLATIVE WORK AHEAD, HE SAID.

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UNDER THE HONG KONG SYSTEM, IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE TO PUT ITS LEGISLATIVE AND EXPENDITURE PROPOSALS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, BUT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ALONE HAS THE POWER TO DECIDE WHETHER THESE PROPOSALS WILL BECOME LAW OR RECEIVE FUNDING.

/MR PATTEN