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Question: The hard question is regarding the new labour importation scheme. I think a lot of people believe that the current scheme has a pitfall in that it is not really need- based and that the new one will be very much need-based. If that is the case, is there really a need to set a upper limit. If businesses can prove that it cannot find labour to the tune of may be 20, 30 thousand for specific positions, should we not let that happen naturally?
Chief Secretary: Yes, I think it is quite right that there is a question whether there is a need for a quota at all. But I notice from a survey conducted immediately after the Governor's Wednesday address that about 50 per cent of the community believed that we have got the number about right. But of course it remains to be seen. I think the important point to make here is as you have pointed out that the new scheme is a completely new scheme, it will be based on needs because we will be looking at each and every application and if the need is established then of course the employer will be allowed to bring in the workers. Whether the 5,000 will in the event prove to be too many or too few remains to be seen. And certainly if there is a demonstrable need for more workers to be imported, based strictly on needs, then of course we are prepared to review the quota. But I think at this stage, it is premature and I repeat, according to the community, they seem to think that is about right and to the extent that we have complaints both on the employers' side and on the employees' side. I have to concluded that maybe we have got it about right. Your soft question?
Question: There is a consensus among all Hong Kong that you are one of the most brilliant administrators in the civil service today. If the situation allows you to serve in the future, do you feel you prefer to continue serving Hong Kong by being its chief executive or ...
the Chief Secretary, consider that the former would have to deal with a lot in the external relations.
Chief Secretary:, First of all, thank you for your compliment. I was just speaking with .. one of the guests at the head table and I said that the favourite guessing game in town is who is going to be the chief executive officer. I for one am not going to take part in this favourite guessing game. I think there are plenty of people who want to take part in this. So one less will certainly not make any difference. I have made it quite plain on many occasions in the past that I would hope to be able to serve out the remaining years of my term which means staying after 1997 and I am quite happy to continue to serve the people of Hong Kong in whatever capacity is deemed to be most appropriate after 1997. I think that is all that I would say by way of comment.
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