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4.
Governor: No. Though that's an ingenious question. I've said before it's rather like those tiresome and boring questions about whether the Governor of Hong Kong will be here until June 30, 1997 and that's you all now know, there is a standing fine payable to the Hong Kong Journalists Association for anybody who asks that question, So equally, there should be a standing fine for anybody who repeats the boring trivial and the totally unnecessary question about whether the Governor of Hong Kong will be there as part of the British team at the handover ceremony. That's a matter for Britain to decide. I think it would be extremely surprising if the British Government didn't decide that the representative of the Queen would be present at the handover ceremony. So as far as I am concerned, there is no point in going on asking that question because you'll get exactly the same answer and there are much more important questions for us all to talk about -- livelihood issues, the rule of law, the economy, the completion of this project. I'll tell you why I came here today. I came here today, because there is a huge Hong Kong stake in this project. Not just there four billion Hong Kong to bring to reality a dream which many people including many of the business community had for years, but also a stake in the sense that, I think that this building exemplifies, reflects the sort of role which Hong Kong sees for itself in the next generation. One of the greatest financial and business centres in the world, the leading business and financial centre in this part of Asia, with the ability in this fantastic, stunning new conference centre to hold the best sort of conferences, the best sort of exhibitions, to act as a focus for the economies of East Asia. So I came here today to see the progress that's been made on this project because I want to see the project completed on time and everybody who's involved in the project wants to see it completed on time. That's why I came, and I am delighted as I am sure you have been to see that the project is everything that we've expected. It's quite spectacular and I am looking forward to seeing its completion before the middle of 1997. Final one.
Question: (on labour disputes)
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Governor: Well, I think we're dealing with the consequences of some past abuses and I'd like to say straight away that some of the things which the unions and union representatives drew to our attention are proved to be in many respects correct. And we've been working to deal with them. And I think that all of us employers, government and unions should now, I hope, get on with the job of completing these great projects in Hong Kong in a way which is fair to those who work on the projects and make them possible. What we want to ensure is that everybody who works in Hong Kong gets a fair deal, gets the pay they've been promised and is able to work within the regulations and laws which we specify in order to ensure a decent working environment here in Hong Kong. I think that all those who've drawn attention to abuses, should I hope, feel confident that the government is reacting promptly to those abuses, what none of us want to see is past controversies about the abuse of our labour laws becoming a reason why we don't complete projects which will help to improve the well-being of Hong Kong, which will help to increase the livelihood of the people of Hong Kong and which will keep our economy growing.
End