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2.
I understand of course why any charge people don't much care for. But if we want a cleaner environment, and if we want cleaner waters around our shores, and we know the health risks involved in not cleaning up the water, then we've got to pay for it. And if you don't pay for it through charges, then it has to be paid for through taxation. We haven't yet discovered in Hong Kong despite our other many achievements a species of tree from which you can pick money. So the only alternative to charging is putting the burden on the taxpayer and then of course many people would understandably grumble about that. So I hope we'll have a serious discussion about these matters in the next few weeks and months.
It's obviously up to us to try to persuade the community that it is reasonable and up to us to try to persuade the Legislative Council that it is reasonable. We listen to what people say; I've been hearing one or two remarks about the issue today. We listen to what the Legislative Council has to say as well and we're entitled, I think, when we respond to people's questions to ask them what they would do themselves to pay for this very important environmental programme.
Question: (on whether Governor would give any advice to T S Lo who has been tipped as an HKSARCE candidate)
Governor: No.
Question: What criteria ... Chief Executive?
Governor: I've answered similar questions before and I think the criteria speak for themselves. I think whoever is Chief Executive will need to be somebody who will speak up for Hong Kong and for Hong Kong's interests, will need to be somebody who commands authority and respect in the community. It will need of course to be somebody who understands Hong Kong very well, somebody who understands our civil service and can work well with our civil service, and it will need to be somebody who can give their own vision of Hong Kong as it moves one of the greatest cities in the world into the 21st century. I don't think there would be very much difference between me and Director Lu or anybody else on what those attributes are, but it's inappropriate for me to speculate about who might best display those attributes.
Question: Have you spoken to John Major since...?
Governor: No.
Question: (on assistance to the provisional legislature)
Governor: If there're problems, then you should look to those who've tied the knot to untie it, and those who've tied the knot are those who threaten to dismantle our fairly elected Legislative Council and to replace it with a provisional legislature. Those people have created the problem, they'll have to find the answer if they go ahead with it, but I still hope that they might see sense.