WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994
5
"IN THE CURRENT HIGHLY-CHARGED OR POLITICISED ATMOSPHERE, CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE A DIFFICULT ENOUGH JOB. WE DO OUR BEST. THIS YEAR PARTICULARLY, WE'VE GONE TO THE TROUBLE OF PRODUCING THESE VERY DETAILED POLICY COMMITMENTS. WE DO NOT ASK TO BE PRAISED BUT WE DO ASK AT LEAST THAT OUR EFFORTS BE ACKNOWLEDGED.'
11
THE CHIEF SECRETARY DENIED THAT THE RELATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATORS WAS BAD.
"DON'T BE TOTALLY NEGATIVE. I HAVE DRAWN ATTENTION IN MY SPEECH TO THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN A VERY STATESMAN-LIKE AND PRODUCTIVE WAY WITH MEMBERS, MRS CHAN SAID.
"WE HAVE ACCEPTED MANY OF MEMBERS' PROPOSALS. I MENTIONED, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MOTION DEBATES, THERE WERE ONLY A FBW WHERE THE GOVERNMENT FELT UNABLE TO ACCEPT MEMBERS' SUGGESTIONS.
"SO, THERE ARE GROUNDS FOR A CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP AND I SIMPLY JUST STRESS THAT WE WISH TO BUILD ON A CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE IT IS ONLY ON THAT BASIS THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THE WORK THAT WE SET OURSELVES IN THIS LEGISLATIVE YEAR."
GOVERNMENT DELEGATION TO VISIT CHINA
**
THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, WILL BE VISITING BEIJING AND SHANGHAI FROM OCTOBER 29 TO NOVEMBER 7. HE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SEVEN OTHER HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF CHINA VISITS STARTED IN 1988 FOR THE PURPOSE OF GENERAL FAMILIARISATION. THE LAST SIMILAR VISIT, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN JULY THIS YEAR, WAS LED BY THE SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR JAMES SO.
INAPPROPRIATE AND IRRESPONSIBLE TO DISCLOSE BUILDINGS
THE
DIRECTOR
OF BUILDINGS, MRS HELEN YU, STRESSED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE ΤΟ DISCLOSE AT THIS JUNCTURE THE IDENTITY OF THE BUILDINGS BUILT BY THE SAME COMPANY WHICH BUILT THE ALBERT HOUSE IN ABERDEEN WHERE A CANOPY COLLAPSED IN AUGUST.
COMMENTING ON A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE AND AN EDITORIAL TODAY CLAIMING "GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE STEADFASTLY REFUSED ΤΟ IDENTIFY THE BUILDINGS" MRS YU SAID: "WE CONSIDER IT INAPPROPRIATE TO DISCLOSE THEIR IDENTITY WHEN IT HAS YET TO BE ESTABLISHED WHETHER OR NOT ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THOSE BUILDINGS.
J
"WE CONSIDER IT IRRESPONSIBLE TO CAUSE PUBLIC ALARM WHEN THERE
MAY BE NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN."
/THE DIRECTOR