TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1984
HONG KONG IS A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY SIR PHILIP
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HONG KONG IS A VERY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SHA TIN SPORTS GROUND, SIR PHILIP POINTED OUT THAT THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM IS NOT THE ONLY WAY OF ACHIEVING A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY +BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE IN HONG KONG ANYWAY.
SIR PHILIP POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG HAS ALWAYS HAD INSTITUTIONS WHICH ARE APPROPRIATE TO ITS CIRCUMSTANCES AND THESE HAVE BEEN CHANGING OVER THE YEARS.
HE SAID THAT HONG KONG HAS DEVELOPED IN RECENT YEARS A THREE- TIER SYSTEM - THE DISTRICT BOARD SYSTEM AT THE BASE, AND THE URBAN COUNCIL ABOVE THAT BASE IN THE URBAN AREA, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL- AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON TOP.
+THE GOVERNMENT DOES SEE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE DIFFERENT TIERS AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL ELECTED DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS ON THE HIGHER COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT. +AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT PROCESS WILL CONTINUE, HE SAID.
+WE ARE PRESENTLY ENGAGED IN AN IN-DEPTH STUDY INTO THE WORKING
OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME, HE ADDED.
ASKED BY A REPORTER TO CLARIFY WHAT HE MEANT WHEN HE SAID EARLIER IN HIS ADDRESS THAT IT IS SO REFRESHING THESE DAYS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF ESCAPING FROM THE FUTURE INTO THE PRESENT, SIR PHILIP SAID, ISN'T IT RATHER NICE TO BE CONCERNED WITH ORDINARY THINGS OCCASIONALLY AND NOT WITH SPECULATIVE MATTERS RELATING TO THE FUTURE?+
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION ON WHETHER THE GOVERNOR WILL BE DISCUSSING THE 1997 ISSUE WHILE HE IS IN NEW YORK, SIR PHILIP STRESSED THAT THE GROUP IS IN NEW YORK ON A PROMOTIONAL MISSION, COUPLED WITH AN ECONOMIC MISSION.
+THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT EXERCISE AND THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE.
+NOR WILL THE GOVERNOR BE SEEING MR ZHAO ZIYANG IN WASHINGTON, HE SAID.
THE GOVERNOR WILL BE FLYING FROM NEW YORK TO LONDON ON THURSDAY AND WILL MEET THE PRIME MINISTER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, THE MINISTER OF STATE, AND OTHER WHITEHALL OFFICIALS BEFORE RETURNING TO HONG KONG NEXT WEEK, HE ADDED.
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