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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, today (April 16) announced that the Government has agreed to hand over the Legislative Council (LegCo) Building to the Judiciary for the relocation of the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) upon the move of the LegCo to the new Tamar site.
"The LegCo Building was originally designed to be the Supreme Court. Over the past few years, the Chief Justice has asked me to restore the building to its original judicial use upon the move of the LegCo.
"In fact, the present premises of the CFA in the former French Mission Building on Battery Path is inadequate for its smooth operation," the Chief Executive said.
The relocation decision was made following assessment by the Judiciary Administrator and the Government Property Administrator.
Noting that the LegCo Building was declared a historical monument 25 years ago, Mr Tsang said the Government decision would fully accord with the spirit of conserving built heritage by allowing it to be used for purposes compatible with its original use.
"The Tamar project is on schedule. Since the original Supreme Court was opened in 1912, the Government hopes to hand over the LegCo Building to the Judiciary in 2012 - in time for its centenary celebrations," the Chief Executive said.
He noted that the LegCo Building, a piece of neo-classical architecture with Far Eastern flavours, has played an indispensible role in the political, social and cultural history of Hong Kong.
"A century later, the Building is now poised to become the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It will again embody our rule of law at the heart of Hong Kong," Mr Tsang said.
Ends/Thursday, April 16, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:15
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