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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1992
GOVERNOR:
WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE LEGISLATURE HAVE DIFFERENT JOBS AND DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND I TRIED TO ARGUE AT LENGTH YESTERDAY HOW I THOUGHT THE INCREASE IN THE DEMOCRATIC ELEMENT, THE DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD CHANGED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND
LEGCO, WHICH NECESSITATED THE ARGUMENTS THAT I WAS PUTTING FORWARD. WHEN PEOPLE ELECT THE LEGISLATURE THEY ARE ELECTING A BODY WHICH MONITORS GOVERNMENT AND WHICH HOLDS GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT. IN OUR SYSTEM WE DON'T HAVE CABINET GOVERNMENT, WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME SORT OF MINISTERIAL SYSTEM THAT SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE. PEOPLE AREN'T ELECTING, AS IT WERE, A PARTY WHICH IS GOING TO GOVERN. THEY ARE ELECTING INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS OR MEMBERS OF A PARTY WHO ARE GOING TO HOLD THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT AND THEREFORE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF GOVERNMENT.
NOW, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU HAVE A DIALOGUE OR A TENSION BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE AND IT IS SOMEWHERE IN THAT DIALOGUE, SOMEWHERE IN THAT TENSION THAT POLICY HAS TO BE MADE AND POLICY HAS TO BE DISCUSSED. IT DID SEEM TO ME FOR ALL THE REASONS WHICH I SET OUT, WHICH I WON'T GO OVER AGAIN, THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT MOMENT AT THIS STAGE IN OUR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE A SEPARATION BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO, BUT THERE DOES HAVE TO BE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM AND THAT IS WHY I SUGGESTED THE HINGE BODY WHICH WE ARE GOING TO SET UP, A GOVERNMENT LEGCO COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO MANAGE BETTER ITS BUSINESS THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BUT THESE ARE MATTERS OF JUDGMENT. I HOPE I'VE GOT IT RIGHT, I BELIEVE I'VE GOT IT RIGHT, BUT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF DEBATE AND SOUL SEARCHING ABOUT THE ISSUE RIGHT ACROSS COMMUNITY.
QUESTION:
GOVERNOR:
LET ME,
HOW NICE IS IT THAT I CAN SPEAK TO YOU.
THE
I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU AND IF THEY UNLESS EVERYBODY IS BORED OUT OF THEIR MINDS BY HAVING THE GOVERNOR FOR AN HOUR AND A QUARTER, I'D LIKE TO DO THIS FROM TIME ΤΟ TIME BECAUSE IT'S VERYUSEFUL FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU RPOINT OF VIEW AND TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY OF MAKING ME ANSWER FOR WHAT I DO. I THINK THAT IN ANY COMMUNITY ONE HAS BETTER GOVERNMENT IF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE DECISIONS HAVE TO JUSTIFY THEM TO THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY PAY THE GOVERNMENT'· TAXPAYERS LIKE YOU.
QUESTIONER:
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I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE AIRPORT. WHY DIDN'T YOU EXPLAIN TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THAT THE EXPENDITURE IN THE AIRPORT IS A KIND OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT? THE MORE WE USE OUR MONEY IN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS THE MORE THE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN HONG KONG, THE ECONOMIC GROWTH WILL BE MORE. WHY DIDN'T YOU EXPLAIN TO CHINA?
/GOVERNOR: I