XN000022-1991-04-17 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1991

1997.

"HE SAID THAT IT IS REASONABLE AND RIGHT THAT WE PROVIDE CHINA WITH FULL INFORMATION ON IMPORTANT MATTERS STRADDLING

WE WELCOME CHINESE VIEWS AND SHALL TAKE ACCOUNT OF THEM WHERE WE CAN," THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT.

BUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE ALSO STRESSED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REMAINED IN FULL AND EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF DECISION TAKING OVER THE AFFAIRS OF HONG KONG UNTIL 1997, SIR DAVID ADDED.

"1 CAN ASSURE MEMBERS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE GUIDED BY THESE PRINCIPLES IN REACHING ANY UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

RESPONDING TO

THE

ACCUSATION MADE BY A FEW MEMBERS THAT DECISIONS MADE BY SO-CALLED COLONIAL OFFICIALS COULD IN NO WAY REFLECT HAVE THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE, SIR DAVID SAID: "THOSE OF US WHO DEVOTED OUR LIVES TO HONG KONG AND WHOSE ONLY LOYALTY IS TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR WHOM WE WORK LONG AND HARD, STRONGLY RESENT THE INSINUATION THAT WE DO NOT HAVE HONG KONG PEOPLE'S INTERESTS AT HEART.

"SECONDLY, IT IS DEMEANING TO SUGGEST THAT MEMBERS OF TH19 COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAVE NO INFLUENCE OVER DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

H

SIR DAVID QUESTIONED COULD ANYONE REALLY BELIEVE THAT OFFICIALS WOULD IGNORE THE ADVICE OF MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCI 1. OR THE MAJORITY VIEW OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT COMMENTS MADE BY THOSE FEW MEMBERS COULD ONLY SERVE TO TRY AND DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

I ASK THEM TO CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY WHETHER THIS WOULD BE IN THE LONG-TERM INTERESTS OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG WHICH WE ARE ALL TRYING SO HARD TO MAINTAIN IN THE DIFFICULT YEARS AHEAD, SIR DAVID SAID.

וי

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SUPPORTED THE AMENDED MOTION MOVED BY THE HON SELINA CHOW,

CS EXPLAINS GOVT POLICY ON EXPENDITURE

THE

BUILD AN

IS

IDEA THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS SOMEHOW TURNING ITS

AIRPORT ORDER TO IN THE SOCIAL PROGRAMMES NONSENSE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID FORD, SAID LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

BACKS ON CLEARLY IN THE

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DERATE OF THE 1991-92 BUDGET, SIR DAVID AIRPORT DEALT WITH THE MYTH THAT INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT EQUALED AND ROADS AND THAT SOCIAL PROGRAMMES WERE SOMETHING ELSE.

/HE POINTED