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ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE. A LARGE NUMBER OF PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION PERMITS ARE ISSUED EACH YEAR BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE TO A VARIETY OF ORGANISATIONS.
I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO VIEW THE CURRENT CONTROLS ON
THE USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS IN PUBLIC AND THE PUBLIC COLLECTION OF MONEY AS AN INFRINGEMENT OF CIVIL LIBERTIES. THESE LAWS ARE OF LONG STANDING AND ARE WIDELY UNDERSTOOD, AND SUPPORTED, IN THE
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COMMUNITY OTHER THAN IN THE PERIOD IMMEDIATELY AFTER 4 JUNE 1989, WHEN PUBLIC EMOTIONS RAN HIGH AND A FLEXIBLE PRAGMATIC APPROACH WAS QUITE RIGHTLY ADOPTED BY THE POLICE, THEY HAVE BEEN APPLIED CONSISTENTLY AND WITHOUT ANY PARTICULAR DISCRIMINATION. NEVERTHELESS, YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW THAT ALL EXISTING LEGISLATION IS CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS FULLY COMPATIBLE BOTH WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS AND WITH THE PROVISIONS OF A BILL OF RIGHTS WHICH IS ABOUT TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THESE PROSECUTIONS WERE IN NO WAY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. THEY WERE, AS IS NORMAL IN HONG KONG'S SYSTEM, BROUGHT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTING INDEPENDENTLY OF THE EXECUTIVE. I HAVE NO HESITATION
IN ASSURING YOU OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO CIVIL
LIBERTIES IN THE TERRITORY. THE FORTHCOMING ENACTMENT OF A BILL OF RIGHTS WILL PROVIDE A SOUND LEGAL FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF ALL MEMBERS OF HONG KONG'S COMMUNITY ARE
SUSTAINED AND RESPECTED.
BECAUSE PROSECUTION RECORDS IN HONG KONG ARE NOT COMPUTERISED, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME AT THIS STAGE TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF HOW
MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN CHARGED UNDER THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS WITH COLLECTING MONEY OR
USING A LOUDSPEAKER IN PUBLIC WITHOUT A PERMIT. THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE IS NOT, AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED, ANTIQUATED AND IRRELEVANT TO HONG KONG'S CURRENT SITUATION. AS AN EXAMPLE, DURING THE PERIOD 15-21 JULY 1990 IN TWO OF THE TERRITORY'S BUSIEST URBAN POLICE DISTRICTS A TOTAL OF 82 SUMMONS APPLICATIONS WERE MADE, OF WHICH 74 WERE FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE,
THE MAJORITY BEING FOR OBSTRUCTION OF PAVEMENTS ETC. OTHER OFFENCES
UNDER THE ORDINANCE RANGE FROM OBSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC PLACES TO TOUTING.
UNQUOTE.
IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, THE MATERIAL IN OUR TELNO 2332, PROVIDING DRAFT RESPONSES TO 8 PQS BY MR CLIVE SOLLY MP MAY PROVE
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