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Hong Kong security law: Carrie Lam dismisses concerns over rights
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Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, has said other countries “have no place” interfering in the territory, as she robustly defended a controversial national security law planned by China.
The law would ban treason, secession, sedition and subversion. Critics say it would limit the city’s freedoms.
But in her weekly press conference, Ms Lam said it was a “responsible” move to protect the law-abiding majority.
She denied that the law would curtail the rights of Hong Kongers.
These rights – set out in the Basic Law which is Hong Kong’s mini-constitution – have been in place since it was handed back to China in 1997 by the UK. The Basic Law guarantees certain freedoms to the territory, such as the right to protest, which do not exist on the mainland.
At the weekend, there was a brief return to the protests seen last year, with police firing tear gas as thousands of people took to the streets.
It is not actually a law yet but a proposal – being called a “draft decision” – that will be put to a vote at China’s rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC), this week.
Once that vote is passed, the proposal will be fleshed out into a draft law and could be in force by the end of June.
Ever since it was announced, it has faced fierce criticism internationally, but Ms Lam said other countries had “no place in interfering with this arrangement”.
No country would tolerate flawed national security legislation, she said, and Hong Kong, as part of China, was no different.
Opponents say the proposed law is a direct attempt to curtail the city’s unique freedoms.
Ms Lam repeatedly said there had been no detail yet, but that the text of China’s “draft decision” should reassure the public.
She also spoke of the “positive response” from the public in the past few days, saying it “flies in the face of what those overseas politicians are saying”.
The bill would target “a handful of people” involved in terrorism or subversion, she said, and anyone worried about it should wait for the full details to be released.
Hong Kong’s freedoms, vibrancy and core values “will continue to be there”, she said, but added: “Rights and freedoms are not absolute.”
The law would enhance Hong Kong’s status as a global financial centre, rather than damage it, she said, calling those fears “totally groundless”.
There is also concern that the law could allow China to install its own law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong, alongside the city’s own.
-BBC
Construction of a major underground stormwater drain along the Dr. Busia Highway within the Kaneshie enclave will commence on September 7, 2026.
The Project Coordinator for the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, Dr. Kwadwo Ohene Sarfo, announced this at a special media briefing on Wednesday.
According to him, the works will involve the construction of a double-cell underground rectangular drain measuring approximately 10 metres wide and 1.95 kilometres long, stretching from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction.
The new drain will replace the existing two 1.2-metre diameter pipes, which are inadequate to carry the volume of stormwater in the area.
Dr. Sarfo said the drain will connect at one end to the recently completed section within the Accra Academy campus and at the other end to the existing drain at Pamprom Junction.
He said the construction is expected to run from September 2026 to October 2027.
The project forms part of government’s broader flood prevention and mitigation programme aimed at addressing perennial flooding in Accra.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has withdrawn from the party’s National Chairmanship race.
In a statement issued yesterday, Chairman Wontumi who is currently serving a 20-year jail term said his decision was driven by his love for the party and his unwillingness to let his personal circumstances distract the NPP from its rebuilding efforts.
“There are moments in the life of a man when the heart wants to continue, but duty demands sacrifice. Moments when one must quietly set aside personal ambition, not because the dream has died, but because the family he loves must not be made to carry his burden. Today, I find myself at such a painful moment,” he wrote.
He disclosed that after many nights of prayer, sober reflection and consultations with his family, legal team, party elders, campaign team and trusted supporters, he concluded that his present situation must not become an additional burden on the NPP.
“This is not the decision my heart desired, but sometimes, true love requires us to release what we deeply want in order to protect what we love even more,” he added.
Recounting his years of service, Chairman Wontumi said he had served the party with everything within him, walking through heat and rain, travelling to remote communities and standing with the grassroots in both victory and defeat.
“For many years, I have served the NPP with everything within me… The NPP is not merely a political party to me. It is my family. It is my home. It is a cause to which I have dedicated a significant part of my life,” he stated.
He explained that the party, already carrying the pain of electoral defeat and the huge responsibility of preparing for the future, should not be made to carry his personal weight.
“That is why I cannot allow my present situation or personal ambition to distract the party from the difficult work of rebuilding. I cannot ask the party to carry my weight when it is already carrying the pain of defeat and the enormous responsibility of preparing for the battle ahead. I would rather carry this pain quietly than allow the party I love to suffer because of me,” he said.
He further sympathized with his supporters across the 16 regions, acknowledging that the decision would be painful for many who had sacrificed for his campaign.
“To my teeming supporters across all sixteen regions, I know this message will hurt. I know many of you will read it with tears in your eyes because I understand the sacrifices you have made for this journey,” he said.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
