TNAG-2790-FCO40-4029-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1993 — Page 4

For decision on

30 November 1993

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Currett

a

2/1.

Blue Volume XXXXXVII(7)

XCX(93)55 Copy No.

MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN HONGKONG

IN AND AFTER 1997

THE PROBLEM

A decision is needed on whether any of Hong Kong's statutory and general holidays should be changed after 30 June 1997 to ensure their compatibility with Annex III of the Basic Law.

RECOMMENDATION AND ADVICE SOUGHT

2

It is recommended that the proposals in paragraph 19 below should be considered by the Joint Liaison Group, and that the necessary amending legislation should be drafted in due course.

3

Members will be asked to advise whether this recommendation should be approved.

BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT

4

Public holidays in Hong Kong after 30 June 1997 will be the responsibility of the future SAR Government, but there is a need for the dates of holidays for any particular year to be fixed at least eight months in advance of the start of that year. This means that the dates of holidays in 1997 will need to be decided and legislated for by the end of April 1996, and those for 1998 by the end of April 1997. To ensure that these holidays are compatible with Annex III of the Basic Law and to allow plenty of leeway, we intend to put this issue to the JLG in the near future.

5

Hong Kong's public holidays are of two types 11 statutory holidays provided under the Employment Ordinance and 17 general holidays provided under the Holidays Ordinance. Details of existing A & B statutory and general holidays are at Annexes A and B respectively.

Executive Council