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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1992
GOVERNOR:
I AM SURE THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WILL FORGIVE ME IF I SAY THAT MUCH OF MY MORE RECENT CAREER HAS BEEN SPENT IN TRYING TO DEVELOP POLITICAL PARTIES AND I THOUGHT WHEN I CAME TO HONG KONG I MIGHT HAVE ESCAPED THAT. I DON'T THINK, AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, TRYING TO STAND ABOVE PARTY POLITICS, THAT I CAN INVOLVE MYSELF IN THE ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TO GIVE EXPRESSION ΤΟ INDIVIDUAL OR COLLECTIVE POINTS OF VIEW, THAT AFTER ALL IS WHAT A POLITICAL PARTY IS, BUT WHAT I DO BELIEVE IS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AS VIGOROUS PUBLIC DEBATE AS POSSIBLE. I HAPPEN TO THINK THAT POLITICS IS AN HONOURABLE ADVENTURE RATHER THAN SOMETHING ONE SHOULD APOLOGISE FOR BEING INVOLVED IN. MANY PEOPLE FIND THAT THEY CAN PURSUE THEIR POLITICAL IDEAS AS INDEPENDENTS, OTHERS FIND THAT THEY WANT TO SHARE THEIR POLITICAL IDEAS, EVEN ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THEIR POLITICAL IDEAS BY WORKING AS PART OF A TEAM OR A PARTY. I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE THE VIGOROUS POLITICAL DEBATE THAT HAS STARTED IN HONG KONG AND THAT WE CAN SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD AND DEMONSTRATE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT IT IS PERFECTLY POSSIBLE TO HAVE VIGOROUS PUBLIC DEBATE AND GOOD GOVERNMENT; INDEED, THAT GOOD GOVERNMENT
MORE LIKELY WHERE YOU HAVE VIGOROUS PUBLIC DEBATE WHERE CHIEF EXECUTIVES LIKE ME HAVE TO COME AND EXPLAIN THEIR DECISIONS TO OUR LEGISLATORS; THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO THINK ABOUT THE DECISIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND
AND
AND
I DO
ON THE ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ HAVE THE ROLE SET OUT IN THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS LETTERS PATENT. IT WILL HELP ME MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT STRATEGY POLICY IN HONG KONG AND ITS MEMBERS WILL ACT AS, I HOPE, WISE IMPARTIAL ADVISERS. BUT I COULD, MUST, PERHAPS ADD THIS POINT. THINK THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS PROBABLY MOST USEFUL WHERE IT'S ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO STRATEGIC DISCUSSION AND STRATEGIC DECISIONS AND DOESN'T GET TOO INVOLVED IN THE MINUTIA OF GOVERNMENT. I SUSPECT THAT THAT WOULD BE THE JUDGMENT OF MANY PAST AS WELL AS PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND IT'S CERTAINLY THE WAY THAT I INTEND TO TRY TO GUIDE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE.
MR TIK CHI-YUEN (IN CANTONESE):
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATISATION IN YOUR POLICY SPEECH. THE MEETING POINT WELCOMES THAT, ALTHOUGH THE PROPOSALS ARE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT FROM OURS. YESTERDAY, THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES DID NOT WANT TO ACCEPT YOUR PROPOSALS TO THE COMING NEGOTIATIONS. ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN CONVINCE THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT YOUR PROPOSALS?
/GOVERNOR: HUMAN