XN000022-1986-10-28 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1986

VERY EXCITING 30 YEARS WORKING

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SIR DAVID

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID HE HAD HAD A VERY EXCITING 30 YEARS WORKING FOR THE GOVERNMENT. +IT HAS BEEN A MOST INTERESTING AND FASCINATING TIME.+

HE WAS TALKING TO REPORTERS ABOUT HIS RETIREMENT NEXT YEAR AFTER ATTENDING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES HEUNG YEE KUK HELD AT THE TSUEN WAN TOWN HALL THIS (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS RETIREMENT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY WHEN HE ATTENDED THE KUK'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY +BECAUSE ALMOST HALF OF THAT 60 YEARS I HAVE KNOWN THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE TODAY+,

WHEN HE FIRST CAME OUT TO TSUEN WAN IN 1959, THE TOWN HALL WAS SEA IN FACT.

+SO, I'VE KNOWN THE MEMBERS OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK FOR 27 YEARS NOW, WHICH IS REALLY A LONG TIME, WHICH IS ALMOST HALF THE TIME THAT THE HEUNG YEE KUK HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE, HE SAID.

ASKED IF HE HAD ANY ADVICE FOR HIS SUCCESSOR, MR DAVID FORD, SIR DAVID SAID: +NO. I'M QUITE SURE THAT HE'S A NEW MAN AND HE WOULD BRING NEW IDEAS TO THE JOB.+

WHEN ASKED WHY DIDN'T HE LEAVE AFTER THE 1987 POLITICAL REVIEW, HE SAID: +WE ALL HAVE TO LEAVE SOME TIME OR OTHER, AND CHIEF SECRETARIES USUALLY LEAVE WHEN THEY'RE 60. IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE PAST SEVERAL CHIEF SECRETARIES YOU'LL FIND THAT THEY LEAVE WHEN THEY'RE 60.+

ASKED ABOUT HIS FUTURE PLANS, SIR DAVID SAID THAT BY NEXT YEAR, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN HONG KONG FOR 30 YEARS AND HE PLANNED TO STAY HERE.

+ I HOPE I SHOULD GO ON WORKING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I SHOULD BE WORKING AT. I FEEL THAT THE PERIOD AHEAD WOULD BE A PERIOD OF CHALLENGE FOR ME AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, HE ADDED.

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