TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1994
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GOVERNOR: IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO COMMUNICATE A MESSAGE ALL THE TIME THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF TELEVISION CAMERAS. IT'S RATHER EASIER, I THINK, AND TO SPEAK ACROSS THE TABLE. I THINK IT'S TRUE THAT IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD HAVE LIKED US TO DO. BUT WE MUST BE PATIENT AND 1 AM SURE THE OPPORTUNITY WILL ARISE IN DUE COURSE. IN THE MEANTIME, SO FAR AS PROPERTY IS CONCERNED AND HOUSING IS CONCERNED, I AM SURE THAT DIRECTOR LU AND HIS COLLEAGUES FROM THE PRC WILL HAVE SEEN THE SPECTACULAR JOB WE'VE MADE REHOUSING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG OVER THE YEARS. WE'VE STILL GOT SOME PROBLEMS AND SOME CHALLENGES TO DEAL WITH. WE CAN'T BE COMPLACENT BUT I THINK WE'VE MADE A JOLLY JOB OF IT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
GOOD
QUESTION: DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER, IS THAT WE'LL HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK? WILL IT BE THE FINAL PHASE TO DISCUSS THE MILITARY LAND ISSUE AND WHEN WILL BE THE JLG
MEETING AND THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING?
T
GOVERNOR: I HOPE THAT WE HAVE A JLG AND AN AIRPORT MEETING SOON. HOPE EVEN MORE THAT WE'LL MAKE SATISFACTORY PROGRESS IN THOSE MEETINGS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVEN'T MADE AS MUCH PROGRESS AS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD RIGHTLY HAVE LİKED. ON DEFENCE LANDS, I THINK THAT WE ARE CLOSE TO AN AGREEMENT. IT INVOLVES SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS WHICH WE'LL HAVE IN DUE COURSE TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. BUT 1 THINK PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE AND WHY WE ARE TACKLING THEM IN THE WAY THAT WE'LL EXPLAIN IN DUE COURSE. BUT I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT WHILE WE HAVEN'T FINALISED AN AGREEMENT, WE CAN SEE THE MAKING OF AN AGREEMENT AND 1 HOPE THAT WE'LL GET ONE UNDER OUR BELT BEFORE LONG.
QUESTION: MR PATTEN, DIRECTOR LU PING CAME AFTER SEEING A MILITARY PARADE IN GUANGZHOU, AND IN HONG KONG HE ATTENDS A SERIES OF MEETINGS. IT SEEMS THAT YOU TOO HAVE PARALLEL SCHEDULES AND ITINERARY IN THESE FEW DAYS. DO YOU THINK DIRECTOR LU'S ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR IS SYMBOLIC OF AN EARLY TAKEOVER OF HONG KONG?
GOVERNOR: NO.
QUESTION: THERE IS SPECULATION AGAIN THAT YOU'RE ASKED BY THE PRIME MINISTER TO GO BACK TO UNITED KINGDOM. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
30.
1997.
GOVERNOR: THERE'S SPECULATION ALMOST EVERYDAY AND EVERYDAY WHEN I'M ASKED ABOUT IT, 1 SAY, GOD WILLING, WHICH IS AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO START THE ANSWER, I SHALL BE HERF UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON JUNE THAT IS MY ANSWER TODAY JUST AS IT WAS MY ANSWER YESTERDAY. IT WILL BE MY ANSWER TOMORROW AND NEXT WEEK AND NEXT MONTH AND NEXT YEAR WHEN THE SAMF POINT IS MADE. THE PRIME MINISTER APPOINTED ME AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, KNOWING, AS I DO, THAT IT'S A JOB WHICH LASTS UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE JOB OF BEING GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND EXCITING JOBS IN THE WORLD. IT'S A JOR WHICH DEMANDS ANYONE'S FULL COMMITMENT AND FULL ENERGY, AND IT'S GOING TO CERTAINLY HAVE MY FULL COMMITMENT AND FULL ENERGY UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997 AND UNTIL THEN, WEEK AFTER WEEK, I WILL BE COMING OUT AND MEETING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND LISTENING TO THEIR PROBLEMS FIRST HAND BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY MEANS IN GOVERNMENT.
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QUESTION: MR PATTEN, THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HUNGER STRIKE IN THE LAST 10 DAYS AND THEY STRONGLY OBJECT TO MANDATORY REPATRIATION SCHEME. HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF CHANGING THE SCHEME?
/GOVERNOR: