5
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1994
GOVERNOR:
I DO THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY AHEAD. WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL HAPPEN IN THE AUTUMN IS VERY MUCH A MATTER FOR DIRECTOR LU AND PRC OFFICIALS. SO FAR AS I AM CONCERNED I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE DIRECTOR LU OR ANY OTHER CHINESE OFFICIALS WHENEVER THEIR DIARIES ALLOW THEM A SPARE SLOT. I HAVE MADE THAT PLAIN OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
QUESTION:
OBLIGATION FOR THE GOVERNOR AND THE DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE TO MEET TWICE A SO WHO IS BREAKING THE MOU?
GOVERNOR:
THERE IS
AN
YEAR,
THERE ARE 365 DAYS IN MOST YEARS AND 366 FROM TIME TO TIME, AND EACH OF THEM IS A DAY ON WHICH I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE DIRECTOR LU OR ANY OF HIS OFFICIALS.
QUESTION:
IN YOUR OCTOBER SPEECH, WILL YOU BE CONCENTRATING ON THE PENSION SCHEME ISSUES?
GOVERNOR:
I WILL OBVIOUSLY BE SAYING A GOOD DEAL ABOUT PENSIONS BECAUSE IT WILL BE MORE OR LESS AT THE END OF THE CONSULTATION PERIOD, AND WE WILL WANT TO RESOLVE MATTERS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DISCUSSING PENSIONS FOR, WHAT, 30 YEARS I SUPPOSE, AND SOONER OR LATER WE HAVE TO TAKE A DECISION. YOU CANNOT GO ON PUTTING IT OFF FOR EVER,
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MEANTIME? MORE PEOPLE GROW OLD NOT JUST GOVERNMENTS. MORE PEOPLE GROW VERY OLD, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OLD HAVE FINANCIAL WORRIES WHICH THEY SHOULD BE SPARED. COME 1997 11 PER CENT OF OUR POPULATION WILL BE 65 OR OVER 600,000 PLUS. THE NUMBER OF THOSE WHO ARE VERY ELDERLY WILL DOUBLE OVER THE PERIOD AHEAD, OVER THE NEXT DECADES, SO WE NEED BETTER AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND WELFARE SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, AND WE NEED TO TAKE THE WORRY AND ANXIETY OUT OF RETIREMENT.
QUESTION:
[INAUDIBLE]
BY
TO
REGARDING THE $23 BILLION TO BE RAISED THE PAA AND THE MTRC, WILL GOVERNMENT COMMIT IN BLACK AND WHITE ASSURE THE CHINESE THAT $23 BILLION WILL NOT IN ANY WAY BECOME GOVERNMENT LIABILITY?
GOVERNOR:
THAT IS THE SORT OF ISSUE WHICH IS BEING DISCUSSED BETWEEN EXPERTS AT THE MOMENT. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS ON THE AIRPORT, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WILL BE ENDLESSLY IMAGINATIVE IN TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS. THINGS HAVE MOVED FORWARD REASONABLY WELL BECAUSE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAVE VERY SENSIBLY GONE ON FUNDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRPORT, BUT WE WOULD LIKE A COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT. WE THINK THAT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, AND QUITE FRANKLY IT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF CHINA AS WELL, AND WE ARE PREPARED TO CONTINUE TO BE IMAGINATIVE IN SEEKING SUCH OUTCOME.
AN
I SHOULD JUST ADD THAT THERE IS NOT A COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD WHICH HAS SUCH A GOOD RECORD IN FUNDING BIG PROJECTS PRUDENTLY, IN BUILDING THEM TO COST AND IN COMPLETING THEM ON TIME OR BEFORE TIME, SO WE LISTEN TO THE CRITICISMS OF OTHERS WITH INTEREST AND CONTINUING HUMILITY.
QUESTION:
AS YOU ARE HAVING FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO PUSH AHEAD WITH WORK WITH THE JLG, PRESUMABLY THE NORMAL CONTACTS THAT TAKE PLACE ON JLG MATTERS ARE NOT WORKING SATISFACTORILY. SO WHAT AREAS ARE YOU LOOKING AT TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE JLG? ARE YOU LOOKING AT TAKING THINGS TO A HIGHER LEVEL?
/GOVERNOR