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Question (in Chinese): I support the Governor. Yesterday he talked about labour importation. I support him fully. I hope he will set up a committee to deal with giving priority to local workers. Mr Lau Chin-shek, Lee Cheuk-yan, Madam Chan Yuen-han, Mr Cheng Yiu-tong, Mr Allen Lee, Mr Ngai Shiu-kit, Mr James Tien, they should all get together to form this committee so that could do a registration list for manufacturers and contractors. Now if Hong Kong people do not like that, they could always import labour. Like our richest man in Hong Kong Mr Li Ka-shing, he has built a home for the elderly in Tuen Mun ..
Presenter (in Chinese): Mr Ng your question seems to be that you want to have a piece of legislation in Hong Kong to give priority to local workers in terms of employment.
Governor: I think Mr Ng was making a point which I think is more fundamental, that is the importance of us all working together in trying to tackle this problem, recognising I think that labour importation, if we get it right, isn't going to be the total answer of our problems of job creation, there are all sorts of other things we have to do and we shouldn't kid ourselves that one decision on labour importation is suddenly going to trigger tens of thousands of jobs, because it's not. Life is not that simple, but we have got to get it right and I want to work with all the sort of people that Mr Ng was mentioning in order to do that. That is why we are going to hold a summit next month bringing everybody together and I hope that we will be able to get some agreement on the way forward.
Presenter (in Chinese): I just want to put a very simple question. In the whole Policy Address what do you think is the spirit of the Policy Address this year.
Governor: I think the spirit of the Policy Address is the importance of us working together, working together Government and the Legislative Council, working together the Government and the Preparatory Committee next year, working together Britain, China and Hong Kong. I said just a moment or two ago that what happens in 1997 is going to one of the most important events of our time and I very much hope in the interests of six million extraordinary energetic and successful people here in Hong Kong, the people of this great city. I hope that we can get it right because the whole world will be watching us very carefully.
End/Thursday, October 12, 1995