LEGISLATIVE Council President John Swaine has been knighted in the New Year's Honours List, published this morning.
The knighting of Sir John, who was a Commander of the British Empire (CBE), is the highest award in this year's list for services to Hong Kong.
Sir John replaced Governor Chris Patten as president of the law-making assembly early last year when it was decided Mr Patten should step down to signify Legco's independence from the Executive Council.
Sir John, who takes the rank of Knight Bachelor, is among 84 government servants, members of the emergency services and people from the voluntary and private sectors to win official recognition for their service to the administration and the community.
Among the recipients is an AIDS campaigner, a blind volunteer and a doctor who works with leprosy patients.
Member of the British Empire (MBE) recipient Sister Maureen McGinley, a co-ordinator of voluntary agency AIDS Concern, believes her prime duty is serving patients living in the shadow of AIDS. She spends hours sitting with infected children; bathing and feeding them - jobs shunned even by some nurses and doctors.
Her work has won her the trust and praise of many AIDS patients and their families - and audiences with the Governor.
