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THIS
BALE: AS YOU SUGGESTED, IT IS A LONG STANDING AND VERY SAD PROBLEM AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE TOTALLY FED UP WITH IT, AND FEEL VERY MUCH THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS BEING LEFT TO SORT OUT VERY MUCH ALONE. WHY IS IT THAT YOU, AND INDEED YOUR PREDECESSORS, DESPITE YOUR LINKS IN LONDON, HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONVINCE BRITISH AUTHORITIES TO SET A LEAD WHERE RESETTLEMENT IS CONCERNED?
THE
GOVERNOR: CERTAINLY NOT FOR WANT OF TRYING. I HAVE BEEN SAYING TO MINISTERS, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY TO BRITISH MINISTERS, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A GREATER BRITISH/U.K. OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG. BOTH FOR ITS OWN SAKE, WE DO NEED RESETTLEMENT PLACES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEFINED AS REFUGEES, AND ΤΟ GIVE A LEAD TO OTHER COUNTRIES BECAUSE IF THE U.K. IS NOT GIVING A LEAD, DOBS NOT HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL PROGRAMME, THEN IT IS THAT MUCH HARDER TO PERSUADE THE OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AND AUSTRALIA, THAT THEY, TOO, SHOULD INCREASE THEIR OFFTAKE. SO IT IS SOMETHING
I HAVE BEEN SAYING TO BRITISH MINISTERS ALREADY, AND I WILL CONTINUB SAY TO BRITISH MINISTERS.
WHICH
TO
LIU: SIR DAVID, WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT PLANNING ΤΟ DO WITH THE LRT? THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PROMISES ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS, AND YET ACCIDENTS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO USE THE SERVICE BECAUSE THE OTHER MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT HAVE BEEN CUT. NOW WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO PEOPLE IN TUEN MUN?
GOVERNOR: WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW SYSTEM OF TRANSPORT LIKE THE LRT, IT ALWAYS TAKES TIME FOR PEOPLE TO GET USED TO IT. IT TAKES TIME FOR DRIVERS TO GET USED TO IT, IT TAKES TIME FOR THE OPERATION ITSELF TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AND TO WORK OUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE. WE DID FACE QUITE A LOT OF TEETHING PROBLEMS AND YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE SYSTEM HAD ΤΟ BE DELAYED WHILE SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS WERE DEALT WITH.
MY IMPRESSION IS THAT NOW THE SITUATION IS VERY MUCH BETTER. SOME OF THOSE TEETHING PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH. THE PEOPLE OF TUEN MUN, PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS ALIKE, ARE NOW MUCH MORE USED TO THE LRT, AND THAT IS THE SORT OF NATURAL PROCESS YOU WOULD EXPECT. ACCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS ARE TRAGIC BUT ROAD ACCIDENTS, SADLY, HAPPEN THE WHOLE TIME SO WE SHOULDN'T SEPARATE OUT THE LRT AS THOUGH IT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ROAD PROBLEMS.
LIU:
I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, AND THAT IS WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR?
GOVERNOR: MY PERSONAL PRIORITIES, OR THE PRIORITIES FOR THE
GOVERNMENT?
LIU: FOR THE GOVERNMENT?
GOVERNOR: FOR THE GOVERNMENT, I LAID OUT QUITE A LOT TO THOSE PRIORITIES IN MY LEGCO SPEECH. THEY ARE TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE LONG- TERM DECISIONS. ONE OF THE MAIN ONES IS THE AIRPORT. THAT IS A HUGE STRATEGIC DECISION FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. THE PORT IS ANOTHER ONE. WE WILL HAVE TO GO ON DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE WATCH AND MONITOR THE ECONOMY VERY CAREFULLY SO THAT THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING JUST NOW DON'T BECOME TOO GREAT, THAT WE TACKLE THEM IN TIME. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS.
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