ENG-1996 — Page 23

CALENDAR OF EVENTS IN 1996

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The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, announces measures to protect the Indo-Pacific hump-back dolphin commonly called the Chinese white dolphin. These include establishing marine parks in Hong Kong's western waters where the animals are mostly found.

The Governor leaves for London on a duty visit to brief ministers on the latest developments in Hong Kong.

A team headed by the Solicitor General, Mr Daniel Fung, attends a hearing of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva to answer questions arising from a supplementary report on Hong Kong.

The Secretariat of the Special Administrative Region Preparatory Committee says 31 applications have been received from people hoping to be selected Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The application forms will be vetted by the presidium of the Preparatory Committee.

The Attorney General, Mr Jeremy Mathews, launches a victim's charter setting out the rights of crime victims and their immediate family members as well as the standards of services they can expect from law- enforcement agencies and government departments.

November

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The last Gurkha infantry battalion in Hong Kong, 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, makes a ceremonial farewell to Hong Kong by beating the retreat at its headquarters at Malaya Lines, Shek Kong.

The Royal Air Force's last squadron in the region, 28 (Army Co- operation) Squadron, returns to Kai Tak after an absence of almost 20 years. It will depart from the territory in June 1997

Eight people are confirmed as candidates for the post of Chief Executive of the HKSAR after a list of 31 applicants is vetted by the presidium of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The membership of the 400-strong Selection Committee is announced at the sixth plenary session of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Hong Kong starts a two-day conference on AIDS, its first on the subject.

Governor Patten leaves for London, Paris and Bonn for a brief visit. The main purpose of the trip is to lobby for the easiest possible access for holders of the Special Administrative Region passport.

Hong Kong is ranked the world's fifth-best city for business after Toronto, London, Singapore and Paris, according to Fortune magazine.