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Governor: I think it will be put forward to Legco as soon as we can manage. I can't give you an exact date. But obviously we want to get on with it as soon as possible. Anybody who lives in the northwest New Territories wants to see us get on with it as quickly as possible. As for the financial arrangements, I think we have to recognise that if they're going to attract private investment into providing public goods like improvements in our infrastructure. We have to have financial returns which are fair to investors. In Hong Kong, probably more successfully than any other community, we have managed to attract private investment into the provision of tunnels and roads and other public assets. We have done that because we take a sensible view of the importance of arrangements which are fair to investors as well as fair to the community. So I think the arrangements are pretty good ones. What's important now is to get on and complete our infra-structure, because you and I know that the people in the Northwest New Territories are very concerned about the transport difficulties which they face. The sooner we can address those problems the better.
Question: About the MPF, how optimistic are you about the Legco debate?
Governor: I'm always wildly optimistic. On this particular occasion, I don't know. The motion that we've put down is I think a reflection of what our discussions within the Legislative Council and outside suggest to us represents the most common ground in the Legislative Council. But views have changed on this question over the years. We know perfectly well that schemes which people support one moment, they decide they don't support the next. What we've got to do for once and for all in my judgement. is to find the best way forward. I'm sorry that there wasn't more support in the Legislative Council for the old age pension scheme which I thought was a very good scheme. But what we've now got to do is to find another way forward. What I say again, repeating what I said in the Legislative Council last week, is that we can't produce a new scheme every year in the hope that one day we'll hit the jackpot. What we've got to do is to make up our minds once and for all about the right way forward. The old, the elderly, the retired of Hong Kong and those who will be retired in the next few years deserve a solution to this problem, to this debate. And we could go on debating it uphill and down dale for the indefinite future but that wouldn't do anybody any good.
Question: The members from three parties in the Legco has already said no to the MPF. How could you say that you are very optimistic? Or would you prefer a U turn as you said?
Governor: No. I very much hope that there will be a majority for our motion in the debate next week because I want to see this issue resolved. But legislators themselves will have to make their own minds up. What we can't do is come forward with proposals in the teeth of opposition from the community. And what we also can't do is produce a new plan every few months or every year.
End/Monday, February 27, 1995