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Rights (ICESCR) to Hong Kong since 1976. At present the Covenants are implemented in Hong Kong, as in the United

Kingdom, through a combination of common law, legislation

and administrative rules. The continued application of the

two Covenants after 1997 is provided for in the Sino-British

Joint Declaration.

29. Preparatory work on a justiciable Bill of Rights to

give effect in local law to the relevant provisions of the

ICCPR progressed satisfactorily in 1990. A draft Bill for

public consultation was published in March 1990. A total of

800 submissions were received during the 3 month consultation period. A Hong Kong Bill of Rights 1990, which took into account the views expressed during the public consultation period, was introduced into the Legislative Council in July. [Copy of the Bill to be deposited in the

library of the Parliament]. The legislation is expected to

be enacted in the course of 1991. To complement the protection afforded by the Bill of Rights, the Letters

Patent for Hong Kong will be amended so as to ensure that no

law of Hong Kong can be made that restricts the rights and

freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong in a manner which is inconsistent with the ICCPR as applied to Hong Kong.

VIII GENERAL ECONOMIC SITUATION

30.

The rate of economic growth in Hong Kong remained modest in 1990, continuing the cyclical slow-down started in 1989. GDP growth in real terms was 2.4 per cent, following increases of 7.9 per cent in 1988 and 2.3 per cent in 1989. The slow-down in economic activity was attributable partly to more moderate demand from overseas for Hong Kong's

products, and partly to the supply constraints caused by

several years of very rapid growth from 1986 to 1988.

there was some improvement in economic performance in the

latter part of 1990, the Gulf crisis gave rise to some uncertainty in the short term.

While

ALAAEV/11

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