XN000022-1986-01-26 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, '98c

+BUT CLEARLY THE CATEGORIES THEMSELVES NEED TO BE MORE CAREFULLY ANALYSED AND DESCRIBED, HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID HE COULD NOT SAY WHEN THE TEAM WOULD SET OFF, ADDING THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP WOULD BE JUST ENOUGH TO COPE WITH THE JOB.

IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS ON REPORTS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD PREPARED A PAPER TO CONSULT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S POLITICAL REFORMS, SIR DAVID SAID HE COULD NOT CONFIRM SUCH REPORTS. BUT CLEARLY WE ARE DOING WORK ON THIS QUESTION, HE SAID.

ON WHETHER THE PAPER HAD BEEN SENT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR DAVID SAID: +1 AM NOT FREE TO DISCLOSE THE PAPERS THAT GO BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. EXCO MATTERS ARE ENTIRELY CONFIDENTIAL. +

COMMENTING ON REPORTS THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COULD CUT OFF HONG KONG TAXPAYERS MONEY TO BRITISH INTERESTS HERE IF THE COUNCIL'S DEMANDS FOR CONCESSIONS ON THE NATIONALITY ISSUE WERE NOT MET, SIR DAVID SAID WE MUST TAKE THIS QUESTION SLOWLY AND PATIENTLY AND NOT COME TO ANY SUDDEN CONCLUSION.

IMPORTANT YEAR FOR CULTURAL LIFE

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IT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT YEAR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURAL LIFE OF HONG KONG, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL TRAINEES GALA AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH STADIUM, SIR DAVID SAID: +WE HAVE SEEN THE COMPLETION AND THE OPENING OF THE ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS WHICH ENABLES US TO PROVIDE ACADEMIC TRAINING IN THE PERFORMING ARTS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

+WE HAVE SEEN OUR MUSICIANS DEVELOP AND MATURE AND ESTABLISH THE IR REPUTATION AT HOME AND ABROAD.

+WE HAVE WATCHED THE BUILDING OF OUR NEW CONCERT HALLS AT SHA TIN AND TUEN MUN AND THE CULTURAL COMPLEX AT TSIM SHA TSUI WITH GROWING EXCITEMENT AND PLEASURE, HE SAID.

SIR DAVID ADDED THAT THIS YEAR, THE MUSIC OFFICE BY TRAINING 5 000 YOUNG MUSICIANS HAD AGAIN ADDED TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ENJOYED PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT, WHO HAD LEARNED TO APPRECIATE MUSIC, AND WHO HAD BENEFITTED FROM THE DISCIPLINE OF REGULAR STUDY AND PRACTICE.

SIR DAVID CONGRATULATED ALL WHO WERE TAKING PART IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK WHICH WAS TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

/+THE PERFORMERS