XN000022-1995-03-15 — Page 4

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Question: Can you comment on whether you think that the penalties for child abuses are adequate in light of the comments made by a District Court Judge following the conviction of the baby-sitter yesterday?

Governor: It's a subject which I know there's increasing concern about, and the subject which we're looking at in the administration, both the penalties for child abuse and the pattern of child abuse across the community, and the ways in which in the courts we deal with those who are accused of child abuse, for example, looking at the possibilities for taking evidence from children on video tape and using it in the court. So they're not expected to be in the court with the parent who may be accused of abuse. Those are the sort of things we have to look at and we also have to consider the role of social work in providing a caring infrastructure for those who are abused. They are all extremely difficult issues. They are issues about which I know the community is extremely concerned because of one or two recent cases, and it's a subject which we are addressing as actively as possible.

Question: Should there be a review of the penalties?

Governor: We are looking at far wider than just the penalties. We are looking at the whole way in which the problem is tackled by the community.

Question: Mr Patten, Donald Tsang, the next Financial Secretary of Hong Kong was not so welcomed by the Chinese officials at his trip in Beijing in the past few days. Do you agree that a lot has to be done by the Government so as to foster understanding and communication with the Chinese Government?

Governor: I am not sure whether what you say is true. He's there as a guest of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. It's one of a regular series of visits in both directions. I think there are eight of those visits planned this year, four in each direction. One involving Chinese officials is taking place at this moment here in Hong Kong. And what I can promise you is any Chinese official who visits Hong Kong will be treated with the maximum courtesy and will be treated as one should treat a guest and someone with whom one wishes to work. I always said that we would like Director Lu Ping to come to Hong Kong more frequently, and we would always want to treat him as a welcomed guest and visitor. That is the way we do things in Hong Kong and I hope others will behave in an equally civilised way.

Question: Governor, about your excellence in dancing, would you keep your tangle with the Chinese side about CFA until the last minute before 97, or are you going to have some solo until the Easter to hand in the bill?