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Question: Sir, is Mr Michael Suen and other officials to be seconded to Mr Tung Chee Hwa's office very soon?
Governor: I discussed this request with Mr Tung on Monday morning when I saw him. We had a useful discussion about it and we will be making an announcement shortly. As you know, we said many months ago that we would want to be as helpful as possible to the Chief Executive (designate) and as helpful as was consistent with continuing the good administration of Hong Kong. We intend to keep our word.
But I would just make one point. While I think one or two more secondments may be sensible, from June 30 the Hong Kong Government, the whole team of civil servants, is the team that will be working for the Chief Executive. So I very much hope that in the coming months he will be able to meet more of those who will be working with him full-time from July 1, and that we won't have to think very much more about people being seconded to his private office after this.
Question: What is your reaction to the (inaudible) to urge the government to clarify this (inaudible) said that the Government was disappointed to be asked for senior officers? It seems like two governments exist in Hong Kong.
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Governor: No, I think that it is reasonable that the Chief Executive (designate) should have a team to help him prepare for his Policy Address for example, and for his other initiatives from July 1. But I think we are probably getting to about the stage where, as I have said, there should be enough people working for Mr Tung. He has got quite a lot of people there in his team now and I am sure that in any event he will want to be talking to other policy secretaries on their existing areas of responsibility. It is more sensible for him to talk to them in their present jobs than to move a lot more people
across.
Question: How can you ensure that the seconded Secretary will not have to work on the provisional legislature?
Governor: What I would certainly not do, and the community knows this is my view, is to second people like parliamentary draftsmen whose sole and principal function would be to assist the provisional legislature. Beyond that it is for Mr Tung to explain and justify the work that civil servants do for him. But he has made it clear that he respects the integrity of civil servants, that he does not want to put civil servants in a difficult situation and he has also made it clear that if civil servants don't want to transfer to his private office, then he will understand that situation.