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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1987
→WITH THE ABOVE RESERVATION, I AM SATISFIED THAT THE CORPORATION'S CAPITAL STRUCTURE IS APPROPRIATE TO ITS VERY LARGE, VERY LONG-TERM CHARACTERISTICS AND I BELIEVE THAT ITS FORECAST OF REPAYMENT OF ITS DEBTS BY ABOUT THE END OF THE CENTURY IS REALISTIC IN THE LIGHT OF THE ASSUMPTIONS UPON WHICH THE FORECAST RESTS,+
HE ALSO SAID THAT THE CORPORATION'S FINANCES AND ITS DEBT WERE WELL MANAGED AND IT HAD ESTABLISHED A GOOD STANDING WITH THE HONG KONG AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL COMMUNITY.
HE THANKED THE BOARD, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION FOR THE VERY EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER IN WHICH THEY HAVE MANAGED THE CORPORATION.
RIGHT OF INFORMATION LAW RULED OUT
****
HONG KONG WILL BE BETTER SERVED BY BUILDING ON ITS OWN SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC AND BY DEVELOPING A MORE ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON DAVID FORD SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON CONRAD LAM AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR FORD SAID THAT OVER THE YEARS, HONG KONG HAD DEVELOPED A SYSTEM WHICH INVOLVED A STRONG ELEMENT OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT.
+AS ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THIS PROCESS IS TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF OUTLETS.
+IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO A CONSTANT STREAM OF REQUESTS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR INFORMATION AND THE MEDIA,+ HE SAID.
MR FORD SAID THAT THE THREE-TIER SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE WIDESPREAD NETWORK OF ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES PROVIDED FURTHER CHANNELS OF INFORMATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC.
+MANY OF THEIR MEETINGS ARE NOW HELD IN PUBLIC AND COMMITTEES AND BOARDS WHICH STILL MEET IN CAMERA USUALLY MAKE KNOWN THEIR DELIBERATIONS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MEETING THROUGH PRESS CONFERENCES.+
SO THERE COULD BE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE WELL SERVED IN TERMS OF THEIR ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION,
HE SAID.
/MR FORD,