XN000022-1985-05-30 — Page 7

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ON

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1985

+ALTHOUGH THE CONTENT OF THE BASIC LAW, SO FAR AS THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED, IS STILL UNKNOWN TO US WE DO HAVE A STARTING POINT: A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE CONTINUITY OF EXISTING SYSTEMS LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, FISCAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL, THIS IS PROMISED BY THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT FOR THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF THE HONG KONG SAR, IF IT IS LOGICAL AND SENSIBLE TO START DEVELOPING A STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS COMPATIBLE WITH AND, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, REINFORCES THIS PROMISED HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY (AND WHICH IS SELF-GENERATING AND MORE OBVIOUSLY REPRESENTATIVE FOR GUBERNATORIAL PATRONAGE OBVIOUSLY MUST FADE AWAY GRADUALLY), THEN EXISTING SYSTEMS MUST BE LOOKED AT, IF NOT SYMPATHETICALLY, AT LEAST DISPASSIONATELY, THIS IS WHERE I COULD PICK UP A WHOLE HOST OF EXAMPLES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT STORIES BASED ON CICERO'S ADVICE IS YOUR STOCK IN TRADE RATHER THAN OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS. BUT BEING, AS I SAID EARLIER, OF A KINDLY DISPOSITION, I SHALL REFRAIN FROM DOING SO.

AND

SO

+MOREOVER, IF I GO ON, YOU MAY BE TEMPTED IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY - TO TAKE ME TOO SERIOUSLY DESPITE MY DISCLAIMERS AND I HAVE NOW FULFILLED MY OBLIGATION TO SPEAK FOR 20 MINUTES. LET ME END ON A FRIENDLY NOTE: MOST OF YOU AND HERE I AM SPEAKING OF THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL ISTS - LIVE AND WORK IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE WORLD AND YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD FOR YOUR COPY. THAT YOU DO AND I ADMIRE YOU IMMENSELY FOR THAT. THE SPEED WITH WHICH YOU CATCH UP WITH THOSE TRYING TO ELUDE YOU AND THE HOURS YOU PATIENTLY WAIT AROUND FOR THEM HAVE EARNED YOU MANY PLAUDITS. SO HAVE THE EDITORIALS OF MANY OF OUR NEWSPAPERS WHICH OFTEN REVEAL A PERCEPTION OF THE ISSUES AT STAKE WHICH DOES THE WRITERS GREAT CREDIT AND WHICH ARE READ WITH CARE, I MIGHT ADD, IN LOWER ALBERT ROAD. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU ARE NOT ALL THAT GENEROUSLY REWARDED: AS A PASSIONATE BELIEVER IN A HIGH WAGE ECONOMY AND A LIMITED ROLE FOR THE SOCIAL WAGE, I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT AT LEAST SOME OF YOU ARE GROSSLY UNDERPAID AND ON THAT HOPEFULLY WELCOME NOTE THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT LUNCH AND BID YOU ALL A FOND FAREWELL.+

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