11
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1992
GOVERNOR:
I'LL TAKE THE CARD FROM YOU AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF I'VE GOT A DATE SOON, BUT I HOPE IT BETTER NOT BE IN SCHOOL TIME. BUT I SAID EARLIER THAT THIS COMMUNITY WILL BE SPENDING 41 BILLION HONG KONG DOLLARS ON HOUSING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS; THAT IS A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT, A HUGE AND NECESSARY INVESTMENT IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF MANY FAMILIES. I THINK I WILL PROBABLY GET SOME ALL GET THROWN OUT UNLESS WE STOP FAIRLY SOON BECAUSE WE ARE то FINISH AT 7.15. BUT, IF NO. 4 AND NO. 5 PROMISE TO BE REALLY, REALLY BRIEF NOT READING OUT A GREAT SPEECH BUT REALLY BRIEF
IF THEY BOTH ASK A QUESTION, I'LL ANSWER THEM BOTH TOGETHER.
QUESTION:
WE'LL SUPPOSED REALLY,
MR GOVERNOR, ON THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS ANSWERED A JOURNALIST THAT, IN YOUR POLICY SPEECH YOU MENTIONED ABOUT ABOLISHING ALL THE APPOINTED SEATS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS BUT THIS MEASURE, MR MICHAEL SZE SAID WAS STILL SUBJECT TO DISCUSSION. SO WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PART OF YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS? ARE YOU GOING TO DISCUSS THEM WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND WILL YOU COMPROMISE WITH THEM AND WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE?
IT
GOVERNOR:
WHAT I WILL DO AND I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD REGARD AS BEING CORRECT IS TO DISCUSS MY PROPOSALS WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS JUST AS I AM DISCUSSING THEM WITH YOU AND OTHERS HERE THIS EVENING. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND THAT WILL BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, I WILL HAVE TO GIVE YOU MY BEST JUDGMENT ON THE MOST SENSIBLE WAY FORWARD. THAT IS WHAT I WILL HAVE TO DO AS GOVERNOR, THAT IS WHAT I WILL HAVE TO DO AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS TO PUT FORWARD SCHEMES FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS IN 1994 AND 1995. SO, WHEN I SAY THEY ARE PROPOSALS FOR DISCUSSION, THEY ARE PROPOSALS FOR DISCUSSION, BUT MY OBJECTIVE IS ABSOLUTELY PLAIN. MY OBJECTIVE IS ΤΟ SECURE MORE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN A WAY THAT WILL LAST AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WANT AS WELL.
QUESTION:
GOOD EVENING MR PATTEN. I HOPE MY QUESTION OF PRIMARY EDUCATION WILL NOT MAKE YOU FED UP. PRIMARY STUDENTS IN HONG KONG ARE REALLY UNDER SCHOOLING PRESSURE AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO HEAPS OF HOMEWORK, WHICH LASTS FOR HOURS; AND TEACHERS ALSO ADVISES THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS THAT THEIR CHILDREN FOR NOT DOING THEIR HOMEWORK, MIGHT EVEN ALSO THREATEN THE STUDENT DIRECTLY AND GIVE THEM MENTAL PRESSURE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY CAN'T THE SCHOOLCHILDREN ENJOY THE MORE NATURAL WAY OF EDUCATION AS OTHER MODERN COUNTRIES DO? THAT'S TO DO THEIR PAPERWORK IN SCHOOL, KEEP TO LESSER HOMEWORK AND DO MORE PRACTICAL PARTICIPATION IN LEARNING SUCH AS GOING ON EXCURSION, SO THAT PARENTS CAN SPEND MORE TIME ON JUDGING THEIR BEHAVIOUR THAN JUST TO FORCE THEM TO PAY MORE ATTENTION ON ASSIGNMENTS? WHY PRIMARY EDUCATION ATMOSPHERES IN HONG KONG ARE PUSHING CHILDREN TO BECOME MORE MATURE AND LEARNED AT AN EARLY STAGE? THIS WILL DESTROY OUR CHILDHOOD FREEDOM. I THINK IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO STRENGTHEN CIVIC EDUCATION то CHILDREN TO DISCIPLINE OUR FUTURE PILLARS OF HONG KONG THAN JUST BLINDLY TO MAKE THEM STUDY. I HOPE, MR PATTEN, YOU WILL INVESTIGATE AND GIVE MORE INSTRUCTIONS TO OUR EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN THIS CONNECTION. THANK YOU.
/GOVERNOR: I