PLANS to abolish the special privileges enjoyed in Hong Kong by British and Commonwealth doctors are under way, the medical profession revealed yesterday. In response to questions raised by the Preliminary Working Committee (PWC), the Hong Kong Medical Association said an amendment had been jointly proposed by it and the Medical Council so British and Commonwealth doctors were no longer eligible to register and practise directly in Hong Kong. The amendment, accepted by the Government, is being drafted and will go before the Legislative Council in the coming months, an association spokesman said. The mainland co-convenor of the PWC legal sub-group, Shao Tianren, has attacked the one-way recognition of British-trained professionals in the territory and questioned whether such privileges should continue. Under the amendment, all overseas students will have to pass a standard licentiate examination and complete a full year internship before qualifying to register and practise in Hong Kong. Hong Kong medical students, who have passed the final examination of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, will be considered as having passed the licentiate examination. The association was not worried that British and Commonwealth doctors would rush to register in Hong Kong in wake of the law change. Also yesterday, the PWC said China should be consulted on how to settle the financial bonds Britain had issued for the Hong Kong Government before 1997. Legal sub-group Hong Kong co-convenor Simon Li Fook-sean said it was necessary to sort out whether such bonds would be left to be settled by the future Special Administrative Region government. Under the Ordinary Bonds and Securities Ordinance, British Crown Agents can act for the Hong Kong Government in the issuing of bonds and management of related issues. The matter will be referred to the PWC economic sub-group to see whether such bonds have been issued. The ordinance was one of the 11 laws vetted by the sub-group yesterday. Of the 11, six have to do with British privileges.
