5
Governor: I haven't got anything to add to what I've said before. It seems to me to be an astonishing way of trying to win the hearts and minds in Hong Kong to say at the moment when the people of Hong Kong are taking part in the most credible and democratic elections in our history that you are going to give the whole thing the thumbs-down. I think that they should think again. And I certainly think they should get a little more into tune with what people in Hong Kong can do.
M
Question: there is a little like the referendum on the.. of Hong Kong about now. You see that a referendum can..
Governor: I hope that the tenure of these candidates will be for four years. These are credible, fair elections, they're the most open elections in Hong Kong's history and I am sure everybody will hope that the legislature that will emerge as a result of today's historic events, carried out its responsibilities for its full term. That would be clearly the sensible thing to do. I am sure in that the way they vote today, people are thinking not just of the short term, not just of next week's problems and next month's problems. I am sure they're expressing a view about the sort of place they want Hong Kong to be. And I think most people want Hong Kong to be an open, plural society and want both the present sovereign and the future sovereign powers to live up to the promises that have been given to the people of Hong Kong in good faith, that there would be a steady process of democratisation in the territory. One more question.
Question: There is fighting at one of the polling station... what is your comment?
Governor: My comment is that after the District Boards and Municipal Councils elections, there is quite a lot of pressure from the media and from the Legislative Council that we should clean up the electoral register and remove people who won't be any more at that particular address. At the same time, we've tried to encourage more people to get on to the electoral register that is precisely what we've done. We've gone through a fair and reasonable process, people have had the opportunity if they think that they have been wrongly excluded from the register, of complaining to the REO, the Registration and Electoral Office which has done a terrific job and I am sure we'll handle any complaints appropriately. O.K.
End/Sunday, September 17, 1995