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Governor: I should think that what she will do is have the opportunity as both the present Chief Secretary and the future Administrative Secretary (designate), to tell any senior Chinese leaders that she meets what the situation is like in Hong Kong. And I am sure that when she returns she will confirm what has been said many times, that Chinese leaders value the role played by the civil service in Hong Kong, recognise the importance to a successful transition of maintaining the integrity of the civil service. I would be very surprised indeed if she was not able to confirm that that is the case. I don't think that will surprise anybody but I hope it will help to improve morale.
In fact I must say that given the inevitable challenges of the present period, I think our civil service has coped remarkably well, has kept its cohesion, has kept its competence, has kept its professionalism and has kept up its morale.
Question: Also, is the government going to leave the job of tackling the property speculation for the SAR Government to do?
Governor: No, anymore than we delayed acting in 1994 when, you'll remember, we were criticised for acting but we acted sensibly and effectively, bringing down the top price of properties at a time when obviously they were going ahead much too rapidly. What has happened is the Secretary for Housing had a useful meeting with the developers this morning. He is making an announcement, I think at about 5 o'clock, and he will be announcing measures which will ensure that more flats come on to the market in a sensible and orderly way.
Question: Do you think Leung Chun-ying, as the person who is responsible for tackling the property speculation, do you think he will have a conflict of interest to do his job?
Governor: I think that is for him to explain and for the Chief Executive (designate) to explain, not me. I notice what the newspapers have been saying but I don't think I can be expected to answer that question. I am not responsible for him.
Question: Governor, do you think that Dominic Wong and the government are doing enough to tackle property speculation?
Governor: Well I just attempted, perhaps inadequately, to answer that question which has just been asked as one of a series, so I don't think I really want to add to what I have just said. Dominic Wong will be making a statement at 5 o'clock.
Okay? Thank you very much indeed. I am glad I didn't hit anybody with the golf-ball. You can say that President Ford may have hit people, President Clinton may have hit people, but the Governor of Hong Kong hit the ball down the fairway.
End