FRIDAY, JULY 26, 1991
LORD CAITHNESS VISITS STANLEY SATELLITE EARTH STATION
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, CAITHNESS, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FRANCHISE TO COMPETITION WAS ENTIRELY UP TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE WAS DIFFERENT.
LORD OPEN
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A VISIT TO HONG KONG TELECOM'S SATELLITE EARTH STATION AT STANLEY, LORD CAITHNESS SAID: "IN HONG KONG, YOU HAVE A FAIR TENDER SYSTEM, EVERYBODY CAN COMPETE AND THE BEST MAN WINS."
"NOW,
WE HAVE GOT A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT BRITIAN CAN DO HERE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR OUR MARKET AND I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FAIR. THERE SHOULDN'T BE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT, HE SAID.
I
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"OF COURSE ONE BELIEVES IN COMPETITION, AS A FREE MARKET PERSON BELIEVE IN COMPETITION, THAT'S PERFECTLY NATURAL. BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHAT ONE WANTS IS EXCELLENT SERVICE," HE ADDED.
"WHERE IT IS ALMOST A MONOPOLY SERVICE, THEN THAT SERVICE HAS GOT TO BE JUST AS GOOD, AND YOU DEMAND THAT QUALITY. THIS EXAMPLE PROVIDES THAT QUALITY," LORD CAITHNESS SAID.
"I THINK WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE IS THE VERY BEST. IT IS BRITISH. IT IS STATE OF THE ART. IT IS PROVIDING SUPERB COMMUNICATIONS. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MUST DECIDE WHAT TO DO," HE SAID.
EARLIER, ACCOMPANIED BY SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER, MR PETER HEAP, AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, HONGKONG TELEPHONE, MR GREG CREW, LORD CAITHNESS WAS SHOWN AROUND THE CONTROL ROOM OF THE STATION AND SAW A DISH ANTENNA.
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS WERE AND THE COMBINATION OF SATELLITE AND TERRITORY THE CAPACITY AND SECURITY BUSINESS CENTRE.
LORD CAITHNESS WAS
INTRODUCED TO HONG KONG IN
1969, CABLE COMMUNICATIONS GIVES THE NECESSARY FOR AN INTERNATIONAL
BRIEFED ON HOW HONG KONG COMMUNICATES DIRECTLY TO EUROPE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM BY UTILISING SATELLITES POSITIONED OVER THE INDIAN OCEAN AND HOW THE TERRITORY ALSO COMMUNICATES DIRECTLY TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE PACIFIC BASIN VIA SATELLITES POSITIONED OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
HE NOTED THAT THERE ARE AT PRESENT SIX DISHES IN OPERATION AT STANLEY, WITH TWO MORE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
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