TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1986
+ DURING HIS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE, HE LIVED AND WORKED FOUR TIMES IN THE CAPITAL OF CHINA AND WAS HER MAJESTY'S AMBASSADOR IN PEKING FOR FOUR YEARS. 1. PERSONALLY, REMEMBER HIS FIRST VISIT TO HONG KONG, WHILE HE WAS AMBASSADOR HE AND LADY YOUDE SPENT A HAPPY DAY WITH ME VISITING THE NEW TOWNS
WHEN THE DEVELOPING HONG KONG AND THEN THE OLD TRADITIONAL WORLD OF VILLAGE CEREMONIAL AT KAT O IN THE NORTHEAST OF THE TERRITORY: A PART OF HONG KONG THAT HE LOVED SO MUCH.
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+SIR EDWARD OFTEN SPOKE WITH PRIDE OF THIS LONG ASSOCIATION WITH HONG KONG AND HE MADE NO SECRET OF HIS GENUINE PLEASURE AT BEING APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF A PLACE HE HAD COME TO KNOW AND LOVE.
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+HIS YEARS OF GOVERNORSHIP HAVE BEEN MOMENTOUS. THEY HAVE BEEN DOMINATED BY NEGOTIATIONS OVER OUR FUTURE, THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. AND THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL STEPS TO IMPLEMENT THAT AGREEMENT, AND IT IS IN NO SMALL MEASURE OWED TO HIS EFFORTS THAT HONG KONG HAS CAST OFF THE MANTLE OF A BORROWED PLACE+ TO ACQUIRE A NEW DIGNITY WITH ITS FUTURE ASSURED.
+ THROUGHOUT THIS CRUCIAL PERIOD IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY SIR EDWARD WORKED UNTIRINGLY, WITH NO THOUGHT FOR HIMSELF, BRINGING HIS CAREFUL INTELLECT, HIS SUPREME ANALYTICAL SKILLS, AND HIS WISE JUDGEMENT TO BEAR ON THE MANY DIFFICULT ISSUES WHICH ALWAYS CONFRONTED HIM. THESE POWERS HE DEPLOYED TO THE LIMIT AND, BECAUSE OF HIS COMMITMENT, DETERMINATION AND CONCERN, STEADY AND CAREFUL PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TOWARDS BRINGING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MORE CLOSELY INTO THE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR OWN AFFAIRS.
+CERTAINLY IN THE PAGES OF HISTORY SIR EDWARD WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS IMMENSE CONTRIBUTION TO SETTLING THE COMING YEARS FOR HONG KONG, BUT, FOR THOSE WHO WORKED CLOSELY WITH HIM AND KNEW HIM WELL, HIS CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF EVERYONE AND HIS DETERMINATION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, WAS AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL, AND THE RESULTS OF HIS CAREFUL AND PATIENT STEWARDSHIP, HIS DETERMINATION AND SKILL IN LEADING THE GOVERNMENT IN DIFFICULT TIMES ARE REVEALED TODAY IN THE HEALTH OF OUR ECONOMY. THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE AND ARE MAKING AND THE GROWING PROSPERITY OF OUR PEOPLE.
+ BEHIND THE PUBLIC PERSON, SIR EDWARD WAS A PRIVATE MAN. HE WAS KIND, THOUGHTFUL AND CARING; AND ABOVE ALL, HE NEVER LOST A QUIET BUT LIVELY SENSE OF HUMOUR EVEN IN THE MOST TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES. THE STRONG AND LOVING BOND BETWEEN HIM AND HIS FAMILY PROVIDED A ROCK-LIKE FOUNDATION FOR THE REST OF HIS BUSY LIFE. AT THE HEART OF THE ROCK WAS LADY YOUDE, WHO FOR LONG AND HAPPY YEARS SHARED HIS LIFE AND THE +GRAND PARTNERSHIP+ OF THEIR MARRIAGE. TO HER AND TO THE IR DAUGHTERS, DEBORAH AND JENNIFER, OUR HEARTS GO OUT TODAY,
/+LIR EDWARD'S