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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1993
GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY WILL NOT BE AFFECTED, GOVERNOR
THE
GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT HE DID NOT THINK THE APPOINTMENT OF A PANEL FOR THE SETTING UP OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE SAR GOVERNMENT BY CHINA WOULD AFFECT THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
"IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE THE SOVEREIGN POWER UNTIL 1997, WORKING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND WORKING FOR THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY AND VALUES OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
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SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING THE KWUN THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I DON'T THINK THAT COMMITTEES CHINESE FIGURES HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THAT OR ANY DETERMINATION TO DO OUR BEST FOR HONG KONG.
"IF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THINKS THAT THAT FUTURE WORK OF THE SAR GOVERNMENT THEN SO BE IT.
TONG DISTRICT, OF DISTINGUISH IMPACT ON OUR
WILL HELP THE
"I'M SURE THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WILL EXPECT THOSE WHOSE ADVICES ASKED FOR TO REPRESENT THE BROADEST SECTION OF HONG KONG OPINION AND I IMAGINE THAT AT SOME STAGE BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PRC WOULD ACTUALLY WANT TO CONSULT SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN ELECTED."
ASKED ABOUT CRITICISM OF PROGRESS AT THE JLG MEETING, MR PATTEN SAID: "OBVIOUSLY ALL OF US RECOGNISE THAT IT'S IN THE INTERESTS NOT ONLY OF HONG KONG TODAY BUT OF HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE AND OF THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT TO MAKE AS MUCH PROGRESS AS POSSIBLE.
"I WANT ΤΟ ENSURE THAT WE'VE LAID THE BEST CONCEIVABLE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE SAR GOVERNMENT BY JULY 1, 1997 AND THAT MUST MEAN MAKING MORE PROGRESS IN THE JLG.
"So I DO HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN FUTURE AND I HOPE THAT IF THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE ANY INFORMATION WHICH THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE, THEY ACTUALLY ASK FOR IT BEFORE MEETINGS AND NOT COMPLAIN AT MEETINGS OR AFTER MEETINGS THAT THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT."
COMMENTING ON THE PROBLEMS OF TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS, THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG HAD GOT RID OF ABOUT 40,000 TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
"WE HAVE STILL UNFORTUNATELY GOT 50 TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA SCHEMES WITH ABOUT 65,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM, HE SAID.
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"WE ARE COMMITTED ON PRESENT PLANS TO REDUCING THAT NUMBER BY ABOUT THREE QUARTERS BY 1997.
"THAT WOULD LEAVE ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE IN THE TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA ACCOMMODATIONS BY THE END OF THAT PERIOD.
"OBVIOUSLY WE MUST KEEP THAT UNDER REVIEW AND IF WE CAN GO FASTER, IF WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT, THEN WE MUST DO SO."
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