THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1994
OF
WAY
IT IS MORE THAN THAT AS WELL. IT IS A PACT WITH THE PEOPLE HONG KONG. IT IS A GUARANTEE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG OF THEIR OF LIFE, OF THEIR STABILITY AND THEIR PROSPERITY, OF THEIR VALUES, OF THE DECENCY WHICH ALL ASSOCIATE WITH LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY. HONOUR, IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG, IS COMPRISED MAINLY, THOUGH NOT OF COURSE SOLELY, IN TERMS OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE, AS THE OUTGOING SOVEREIGN, CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE DISCHARGED OUR RESPONSIBILITIES FAITHFULLY UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION.
A
I SAID LAST NIGHT THAT A BY-PRODUCT OF THAT SHOULD BE TO LEAVE COMMUNITY WHICH IS ABLE ENTHUSIASTICALLY TO MEET ITS AMBITIONS TO MAKE AN EVEN GREATER CONTRIBUTION TO THE EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN CHINA. THAT IS TRUE.
QUESTION:
DO YOU THINK THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN
CONTEXT OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT?
GOVERNOR:
NO.
IN THE
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISHONOURABLE FOR US TO IN PLACE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WE DID NOT BELIEVE TO BE OPEN, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
PUT
QUESTION:
RIDING ON TOP OF THAT, YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN REES-MOGG IN THE TIMES THIS MORNING, WHO WRITES THAT:
"THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED NOT TO ALLOW THE VIRUS OF HONG KONG DEMOCRACY TO INFECT CHINA, AND SEEMS TO BE PREPARED TO RISK THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A COMPETENT HANDOVER IN ORDER TO PREVENT THAT.'
WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
+1
GOVERNOR:
I HAVE NOT READ THE ARTICLE, AND I AM TOO MUCH OF AN ADMIRER OF LORD REES-MOGG TO COMMENT BEFORE I HAVE ACTUALLY READ WHAT HE SAYS. HEARING THOSE SENTENCES, I WOULD ONLY SAY THAT I DO NOT REGARD CLEAN ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN HONG KONG AS A VIRUS WHICH THREATENS ANYONE.
GOING AROUND HONG KONG BEFORE OUR DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, AND BEING IN HONG KONG FOR OUR DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS WHEN WE HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF CANDIDATES, A RECORD REGISTRATION OF VOTERS, A RECORD NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN, AND, FOR DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, A RECORD NUMBER OF PEOPLE VOTING,. ONE DID NOT HAVE THE FEELING THAT IT WAS ANY BIG DEAL IN THE SENSE OF BEING SOMETHING WHICH SHOULD SEND SOCIAL TREMORS ANYWHERE, NEITHER THROUGH HONG KONG NOR CERTAINLY THROUGH SOUTHERN CHINA. IT WAS HONG KONG TAKING THE DISCHARGE OF CIVIC CONSCIOUSNESS IN ITS STRIDE, AND THAT IS NOT THREAT TO ANYBODY BUT IT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HONG KONG'S MATURITY.
ONE LAST QUESTION.
QUESTION:
A
RECENTLY THERE WAS A REPORT FROM HONG KONG SUGGESTING THAT THERE MAY BE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CIVIL SERVANTS LEAVING GOVERNMENT SERVICE BEFORE 1997. IS THE GOVERNMENT TAKING ANY ACTION? DO YOU THINK THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM?
/GOVERNOR: