MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1985
BASIC LAW DRAFTING, 1987 REVIEW ON PARALLEL COURSE
*****
THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW AND THE WORK OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE IN HONG KONG WILL BE PROCEEDING AT THE SAME TIME AS THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THE 1987 REVIEW OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
SIR DAVID WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM A REPORTER ON RECENT REMARKS MADE BY MR JI PENGFEI.
HE SAID HE HAD NOT READ THE DETAILED REPORT OF WHAT MR JI SAID BUT HE THOUGHT WE ALL KNEW THAT THESE THINGS WOULD BE GOING ALONG AT THE SAME TIME+THEY ARE GOING ALONG IN PARALLEL+,
ASKED WHETHER HE THOUGHT THE REMARKS MADE BY MR JI WERE AN INDICATION OF DISTRUST IN THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT WAS HANDLING POLITICAL REFORMS, SIR DAVID SAID THAT HE WOULDN'T THINK SO AT ALL.
+ I THINK MR JI HAS VOICED VIEWS WHICH ARE HELD VERY WIDELY THAT WE SHOULDN'T GO TOO HASTILY, WE SHOULDN'T REFORM TOO HASTILY IN HONG KONG BUT WE NEED TO PROCEED CAREFULLY AND GRADUALLY AND THINK OUT EVERY STEP QUITE CAREFULLY.
+THAT'S WHAT HE WAS SAYING HE WAS MERELY REITERATING WHAT MR XU HAS SAID IN HONG KONG, WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID IN HONG KONG AND WHAT I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAVE SAID - THAT WE MUST PROCEED STEADILY AND CAUTIOUSLY AND WITH CERTAINTY.+
SIR DAVID HAD EARLIER OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING OF THE 1985 HONG KONG TRADE FAIR AT THE HONG KONG EXHIBITION CENTRE IN WAN CHAI.
ASKED WHETHER HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE WAYS IN WHICH HONG KONG WAS TRYING TO COUNTER TRADE PROTECTIONISM IN THE UNITED STATES, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID HE THOUGHT THE GOVERNMENT HAD DONE A LOT IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
+WE HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS EFFORT IN WASHINGTON THROUGH OUR LOBBYISTS AND THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF OUR NEW YORK OFF ICE AND THE WASHINGTON OFF ICE TO PUT OUR CASE ACROSS IN WASHINGTON.
+AND THIS HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY GROUPS IN HONG KONG, AND PARTICULARLY THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG.
+SO I THINK IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS WE HAVE REALLY, YOU MIGHT SAY 'GOT OUR ACT TOGETHER' ON THIS PARTICULAR POINT. AND ONE DOESN'T WISH TO ATTRIBUTE THE PRESENT STAGE OF PLAY WITH REGARD TO THE THURMOND/JENKINS BILL TO THAT ACTIVITY BUT I AM SURE IT HAS PLAYED ITS PART, + HE SAID.
ASKED WHETHER THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WOULD COME UNDER THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, SIR DAVID REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS EXAMINING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES AS WELL AS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE URBAN COUNCIL TO THE SECRETARIAT.
/+THAT IS