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I had a very engaging afternoon earlier this week reading the debate once again that took place in this Council in November. There was only one Member of the Council, as perceptive and wise as ever, who gave us completely unqualified support for the introduction of the Pension Scheme, one, one Councillor out of this whole great august institution. So I'm slightly surprised now when people tell me that there was overwhelming support for the Scheme. I think the opinion polls show that there was a great deal of support for the Scheme and show that there's still a great deal of support for the Scheme, but the Legislative Council hasn't, perhaps in its wisdom, but certainly hasn't reflected that support.
So we're intent on proceeding this time, first of all by taking the view of the Legislative Council and I hope that that will demonstrate that we're nearer this time to establishing a consensual position on this issue. But if we don't, if we can't find a consensus on this issue, I don't think that the Legislative Council or anybody else should expect us to go away and think up a new scheme so that we can make this into a sort of annual ritual. We would very much like, having put in hand with the help of this Council, measures to greatly improve services for the elderly, we'd very much like as well to deal with the issue which many Honourable Members have talked about over the years, the issue of financial protection for the elderly. I think it would be very good for Hong Kong if we were able to resolve that issue before other very important issues come along in 1997, but if, if we can't do that, I beg the Council to understand that we can't indefinitely search our desk for new schemes.
So I hope that we can proceed on the basis that we're now suggesting, that seems to us to represent the best chance of finding an acceptable way forward, acceptable to the whole community, but it will be for the Council to make its views known on the 8th March.
Mr Lee Cheuk-yan: Mr Governor, I would now like to ask a question on the OPS as well. In your reply to Mr Hui Yin-fat you said that this Council has got only one Councillor giving unequivocal support to the scheme but I would say many Members here would support a tripartite pension scheme for the elderly; they don't want that only the employer and the employee would have to contribute, they want the Government to join in as well. But you are now raising the expectations of the elderly and then dashing their hopes. Do you still think that the OPS is the best option?
And secondly, how can you remedy the situation? You have raised their expectations and now they have got nothing. How are you going to make an account to the elderly people? What kind of measures will you take so that they can live a dignified life after retirement, because you know very well that a mandatory retirement scheme as spelt out in your Policy Address will take 20 to 30 years to be effective. So, I hope I can get from you a very clear answer so that we can give an account to the elderly people. We should give an account to those who are already retired. What can you do to protect their lives after retirement?