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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1985
+ I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH IS HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT IS THAT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THE ESSENTIALS ARE BEING OVERLOOKED.
+AND THE ESSENTIALS WE HAVE AGREED. THE BASIC LAW HAS TO BE DRAFTED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS. IT HAS TO CONTAIN WHAT IS IN THE AGREEMENT.
+ AND THE CHINESE HAVE SAID THAT THEY GAVE THE UNDERTAKING WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER CAME DOWN HERE THAT THERE WOULD BE WIDE CONSULTATION, CONSULTATION IN HONG KONG ON A WIDE BASIS.
+EXACTLY HOW THAT WILL DEVELOP IS, AT THIS STAGE ANYWAY, HYPOTHETICAL, IT SEEMS TO ME. SO IT IS BEST NOT TO TRY TO BE TOO SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. SEE HOW THINGS DEVELOP.+
ASKED WHETHER THERE WAS ANYTHING GOVERNMENT COULD DO TO STOP SUCH A DEBATE IF THE MAJORITY OF LEGCO UNOFFICIALS WANTED IT. SIR EDWARD SAID, +1 THINK WE WILL GET TO THE POINT WHEN WE KNOW WHAT UNOFFICIALS WANT TO DO AND WHAT FORMS OF DEBATES THEY WANT
IN LEGCO.+
+AND AS THE PRESIDENT OF LEGCO, AS SOME OF YOU HAVE OFTEN REMINDED ME, IT WOULD BE QUITE IMPROPER FOR THE PRESIDENT TO TAKE A POSITION BEFORE THE PROPOSITION HAS EVEN BEEN MADE.+
ASKED WHY IT WAS TAKING HIM SO LONG TO DECIDE ON THE LIST OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FOR LEGCO, SIR EDWARD REPLIED,+ BECAUSE 1 CONSIDER EVERY NAME EXCEEDINGLY CAREFULLY.+
HE ADDED THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT TO ANNOUNCE THE NAMES OF THE NEW EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN HE ANNOUNCES THE NAMES OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS NOT TOO LONG+ FROM NOW.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE MORE LICENCES TO HAWKERS, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE SHOULD NOT PREJUDGE WHAT WAS GOING TO BE IN THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ON HAWKERS.
+BUT I THINK THAT ANYBODY WALKING ROUND THE STREETS OF HONG KONG - AS I DO, NOT ONLY TODAY WILL SEE THAT HAWKER POLICY IS A POLICY WHICH HAS VERY MANY FACETS.
+ IT HAS THE CONVENIENCE TO PEOPLE, IT HAS THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE HAWKERS, IT HAS THE NEED NOT TO HAVE OBSTRUCTION, IT HAS THE NEED TO MAINTAIN PROPER CONTROLS FOR HEALTH REASONS, AND ALL THOSE HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
+WHEN THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT COMES OUT, I THINK THEN THERE WILL HAVE TO BE THIS PERIOD OF CONSULTATION. AND FROM THAT I HOPE WILL GROW A POLICY WHICH WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE HAWKERS AND TO EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT IT WILL HAVE TO BE A BALANCE, OF COURSE, BETWEEN A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS,+ HE SAID.
BEFORE LEAVING THE MARKET, SIR EDWARD REMINDED REPORTERS PRESENT, +DON'T FORGET TO DO YOUR SHOPPING.-
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