3.
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1987
MR FORD ADDED THAT IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO DISCUSS, AND THERE WAS NOT MUCH POINT TO SPECULATE AT THIS STAGE, ON WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE CONSULTATION EXERCISES UNTIL PUBLIC OPINION WAS KNOWN.
HE SAID THE GREEN PAPER WOULD BE PUBLISHED IN MAY AND THERE WOULD BE A CONSULTATION PERIOD OF ABOUT FIVE TO SIX MONTHS, FOLLOWING WHICH A WHITE PAPER WOULD BE PUBLISHED PROBABLY EARLY NEXT YEAR.
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE TO CONSIDER PUBLIC OPINION, HE SAID A DECISION WOULD BE MADE WITHIN ONE MONTH'S TIME.
+ IT WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BE IN PLACE BY THE TIME THE GREEN PAPER IS ISSUED, WHICH IS GOING TO BE IN MAY. SO ALL THE MECHANISMS, IF WE HAVE AN OFFICE, WILL OBVIOUSLY BE WELL ORGANISED IN TIME FOR THE ISSUE OF THE GREEN PAPER IN MAY, MR FORD ADDED.
SPEAKING ABOUT HIS FIRST DAY AS CHIEF SECRETARY, MR FORD
SAID HE FELT +VERY PLEASED+ AND HONOURED+.
HE SAID HIS FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO SEE THAT THE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY WAS IN GOOD HEART, WORKING WELL, SENSITIVE TO PUBLIC OPINION, HAD A HIGH MORALE AND WAS AN EFFICIENT ORGANISATION.
AWARENESS OF RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS +A HEALTHY SIGN+
*****
THE FACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY NOW HAS A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF ITS RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AND OF THE AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO LAY A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO AND AFTER 1997 IS A HEALTHY SIGN, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
IN HIS FIRST SPEECH AS CHIEF SECRETARY, MR FORD TOLD MEMBERS OF THE YOUNGER MANAGERS' CLUB THAT PUBLIC OPINION WOULD DECIDE THE FUTURE SHAPE OF THE GOVERNMENT.
+THE GOVERNMENT IS FULLY COMMITTED TO A GENUINE REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN 1987,+ HE SAID.
A GREEN PAPER WOULD BE PUBLISHED IN MAY TO CONSULT THE PUBLIC ON A WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
+WHATEVER EMERGES FROM THE 1987 REVIEW, IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT NOT ONLY IS THE FACE OF GOVERNMENT LIKELY TO CHANGE BUT ITS STYLE ALSO,
HE CONTINUED.
/SPEAKING ON