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Transcript of Governor's media session
The following is the transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, the Financial Secretary, Sir Hamish Macleod and the Financial Secretary (Designate), Mr Donald Tsang, at the Central Government Offices after the Executive Council meeting today (Tuesday):
Governor: As I think you know, we're making today a number of announcements about important appointments in the Civil Service, these are further steps along the road to the localisation of the senior positions here in Hong Kong and is a process that we almost completed. The most significant of the appointments is, of course, the appointment of a new Financial Secretary. There will be many future occasions for paying tribute to the work of Sir Hamish Macleod who'll be leaving his post in September. But I would like at this moment to pay tribute to his 30 years of service to Hong Kong, most recently, his work as Financial Secretary. He's been, I think, one of the most outstanding Financial Secretaries in Hong Kong's history, making a significant contribution not only to the prosperity and well-being of this community, but playing as well a regional role as one of the most creative forces behind the development of APEC and one of the main proponents of APEC's transformation into one of the foremost organisations committed to global free trade. So Sir Hamish has done a great deal of which he should be proud and for which Hong Kong should be grateful. I am sure that the appointment of Donald Tsang as the next Financial Secretary in September will be warmly and widely welcomed in the Civil Service and in the broader community. Donald has been a member of the Civil Service for 27 years. This appointment crowns a brilliant career in a number of different branches of government. He's extremely well-known in Hong Kong and I think respected for his intellect, for his energy, for his professionalism, for his dedication, for his commitment to the well-being of Hong Kong. So I am delighted to be able to make this announcement, and others are being made with photo calls and so on later today and tomorrow. Hamish, would you like to say a word?
FS: First, Governor, thank you very much for those very kind remarks. I made a pretty clear hint in my budget speech by referring to a close colleague and good friend and of course I am very happy now to see Donald as Financial Secretary (Designate). He's worked with me over the years not just at present as Secretary for Treasury, but in previous incarnations, for instance, in trade. Our path crossed and over the years they have crossed many times. I guess this must be one of the easiest hand-overs in the Government since he's already of course intimately involved in the budgetary process. So, I think, Donald will be an outstanding Financial Secretary. I am delighted to see him coming forward now as my replacement. Thank you.