XN000022-1987-02-27 — Page 2

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1987

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'SOMETHING SPECIFIC ON ASSESSMENT OFFICE SHORTLY

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC TO SAY IN ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS TIME ABOUT WHETHER AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE WOULD BE SET UP TO CANVASS PUBLIC OPINIONS ON THE 1987 POLITICAL REVIEW, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SIR DAVID WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A VISIT TO THE BRITISH COUNCIL WHERE HE ALSO RECEIVED A CHEQUE FOR $100 000 AS A COUNCIL DONATION TO THE SIR EDWARD YOUDE FUND.

SPEAKING ABOUT THE FUND, DONATIONS TO WHICH NOW TOTAL MORE THAN $70 MILLION, SIR DAVID SAID: THE FUND WILL HAVE TO BE INVESTED, AND THEN WE WILL USE THE INTEREST WE GET FROM THE FUND.

+IT WILL BE USED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, FOR PEOPLE DOING RESEARCH HERE IN HONG KONG, AND IT WILL BE USED, I HOPE, TO SEND SOME QUALIFIED STUDENTS OVERSEAS TO STUDY.

THE AMBIT OF THE FUND WAS VERY BROAD AND IT WOULD BE FOR THE TRUSTEES TO DECIDE ON HOW IT WOULD BE EMPLOYED, HE SAID.

+ BUT ONE NICE THING I HOPE IS THAT LADY YOUDE WILL BE ONE OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE FUND AND WILL COME OUT HERE AND TAKE PART IN THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES,+ SIR DAVID ADDED.

*I DO HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC WILL CONTINUE TO RESPOND BECAUSE IT'S GOING INTO A VERY GOOD CAUSE, THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, HE SAID.

ON THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS, HE SAID WE SHOULD GET IT ALL SET UP AND GOING BY ABOUT MAY.+

ASKED ABOUT THE SETTING UP OF A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND, HE STRESSED THAT ONE MUST WAIT UNTIL THE PUBLIC DEBATE WAS PROPERLY OVER.

+WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND AND WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT ALL THE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO IT, AND A DECENTRALISED PROVIDENT FUND -- THAT IS, THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO HAVE THEIR OWN FUNDS AND SEE WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE WITH THAT.+

IT WOULD BE +A FEW MONTHS+ BEFORE THE SUBJECT WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE EXEUCTIVE COUNCIL, SIR DAVID ADDED.

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