SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1986
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MOTHER, CHILD WELFARE OF PRIMARY CONCERN SIR EDWARD
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, STRESSED TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT THE WELFARE OF THE MOTHER AND CHILD SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN IN THE KWOK AH-NUI CASE.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING THE KADOOR IE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, HE SAID: FOR ALL THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, DON'T FORGET THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD.+
+WHAT WE ARE MOSTLY CONCERNED WITH IS THEIR WELFARE AND I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF QUIET TIME FOR THEM WOULD NOT BE A BAD IDEA AT ALL.+
SIR EDWARD SAID HE WAS QUITE SATISFIED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD DONE THEIR VERY BEST FOR THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD. +AND THAT IS INDEED WHAT I THINK THEY DID DO.
+WE'VE ALSO SAID THAT THE FIRST THING TO DO IS TO HAVE
A LOOK TO SEE WHAT LESSONS THERE ARE TO BE LEARNED.
+BUT DO REMEMBER THIS HAS BEEN RAISED IN QUESTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN THERE WAS A VERY FULL ACCOUNT GIVEN OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, AND THEN ANSON CHAN HAS MET THE PRESS AND DONE WHAT SHE CAN TO LOOK AT IT.+
REPLYING TO ANOTHER QUESTION, SIR EDWARD SAID HE DID NOT PERSONALLY PUT THE 'BRAKE' ON THE OMBUDSMAN IDEA. + IT WASN'T A PERSONAL "BRAKE'. IT'S JUST THAT THE PROCESS NEEDS TO BE CONTINUED A BIT FURTHER. +
+THE OMBUDSMAN IDEA IS PART OF A MUCH WIDER REVIEW OF ALL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS,+ HE SAID.
+AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT NOW THAT THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS SETTLED DOWN MORE, I WANT TO LOOK AT IT IN THAT CONTEXT.
+AND THE THIRD THOUGHT WAS THAT WE MUSTN'T GET WHAT I CALL 'ADMINISTRATIVE INDIGESTION'. IF YOU MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES ALL AT ONCE BEFORE THE SYSTEM HAS SETTLED DOWN, YOU MAY FIND LATER ON THAT YOU WANT TO RE-ADJUST THEM.
+SO THE NEW LEGCO SYSTEM IS WORKING QUITE WELL, THE MEMBERS ARE GETTING INTO IT, AND IN NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE FIELD OF ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEWS.+
ASKED WHETHER INDIRECTLY-ELECTED LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WOULD BE APPOINTED TO FILL VACANCIES IN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR EDWARD SAID: +IF I WAS YOU, I'LL PUT THAT FILE AWAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE ANY EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT ON THESE MATTERS. BUT TRY AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS' TIME.+
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