XN000022-1987-11-07 — Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1987

NO MANIPULATION OF SURVEY REPORT RESULTS

CS

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID FORD, TODAY (SATURDAY) TOTALLY REJECTED THE IDEA THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD MANIPULATED THE RESULT OF THE REPORT BY THE SURVEY OFFICE ON PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER ON POLITICAL REVIEW.

HE ALSO URGED THAT A CAREFUL STUDY OF THE REPORT WAS REQUIRED AND "NOT HASTY JUDGEMENTS ON ONE PARTICULAR QUESTION OR ANOTHER"

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING THE ANNUAL AUTUMN FAIR OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, HE STATED THAT GOVERNMENT'S POSITION WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR.

"WE HAVE A TOTALLY OPEN MIND AND NO PRE-CONCEIVED IDEAS AT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE SURVEY REPORT, HE STRESSED.

ALL

"I THINK ANYONE WHO READS THE SURVEY REPORT CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY WILL COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT HAS BEEN DONE VERY FAIRLY, VERY OPENLY AND VERY COMPREHENSIVELY.

"AND THE MONITORS THEMSELVES HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THIS ES CASE," HE ADDED.

THE

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID HE WAS SOMEWHAT SADDENED BY THE FACT THAT SOME PEOPLE, AFTER A VERY QUICK READING OF THE REPORT, HAD TRIED TO DISCREDIT IT, "APPARENTLY BECAUSE THE OUTCOME DOES NOT ACCORD WITH THEIR OWN VIRWS.

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"I THINK WE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNMENT - OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG NOT TO COME TO ANY HASTY CONCLUSIONS.

IT'S A VERY LONG

"WE WILL READ IT VERY CAREFULLY

INDEED

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DOCUMENT.

MR FORD SAID THAT AS HE HAD SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD SEE THAT WHEN THE DECISIONS WERE ANNOUNCED, "THEY DO TRULY REFLECT THEIR VIEWS AFTER A VERY CAREFUL READING OF THE REPORT.

中耳

WHEN ASKED WHETHER THE QUESTIONS IN THE AGB MCNAIR SURVEYS WERE VERY LOADED AND ONE-SIDED, MR FORD POINTED OUT THAT THE SURVEY DONE BY THE SURVEY OFFICE WERE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC OPINION FIRM AND THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GOVERNMENT.

"IT WAS DONE IN A TOTALLY INDEPENDENT WAY AND THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO INFLUENCE WHATSOEVER OVER THE AGB MCNAIR SURVEY,

AND DEFENDED

HE ADDED THAT THE SURVEY WAS CARRIED OUT BY THIS FIRM THEIR PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY WAS AT STAKE. AND THEY HAD THEIR SYSTEM OF CARRYING OUT THE SURVEY.

/MR FORD