XN000022-1992-01-22 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1992

EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES UNTIL APPOINTMENT OF NEXT GOVERNOR: GOVERNOR

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, REAFFIRMED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITH EFFICIENCY WHILE WAITING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW GOVERNOR.

THT

FULL

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS IN LONDON, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WAS ALWAYS BOUND TO BE UNCERTAINTY WHENEVER THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE

GOVERNORSHIP.

"BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE ADMINISTRATION CEASES TO OPERATE.

"AS ISSUES ARISE THEY WILL BE DEALT WITH AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT INDEED TO GET ACROSS THE MESSAGE THAT THERE WILL BE NO SLACKENING OFF OF EFFORT, EITHER BY THE ADMINISTRATION OR BY ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL, WHILE WE WAIT FOR A NEW GOVERNOR," SIR DAVID ADDED.

THE GOVERNOR REJECTED CLAIMS THAT THERE WAS A POLITICAL VOID IN HONG KONG.

ASKED ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF POLITICAL CHANGE, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT EACH TIME AN IMPORTANT STEP WAS TAKEN IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGE, IT TOOK TIME FOR THE NEW SYSTEM TO SETTLE DOWN, AND THAT WAS THE SITUATION AT THE MOMENT.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THERE WAS A NEED NOW FOR THE GOVERNMENT то PUT MORE EFFORT INTO EXPLAINING THINGS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BECAUSE OF THE NEW MEMBERS.

"THEY NOT ONLY DO NOT HAVE THE BACKGROUND, AND THEREFORE NEED THE EXPLANATION, BUT NATURALLY MANY OF THEM WANT то ASK MORE QUESTIONS. FOR INSTANCE WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IT HAS SOMETIMES BEEN NECESSARY TO TAKE TWO BITES AT IT TO GO BACK AND GIVE MORE EXPLANATION BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WANTS.

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IS

"THERE HAS BEEN NO PROBLEM ABOUT CARRYING OUT THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG SIMPLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ALL WE HAVE HAD

MORE WORK, MORE TIME REQUIRED BY THE ADMINISTRATION ΤΟ ENSURE THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT IS CARRIED ON," HE SAID.

A POLITICAL

BE OFFICE,

ASKED WHETHER THE NEW GOVERNOR SHOULD PERSONALITY RATHER THAN SOMEONE FROM THE FOREIGN

SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS NOT THE BACKGROUND OF THE PERSON THAT MATTERED IT WAS THE CHARACTER OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

"THERE IS NO PARTICULAR MAGIC ABOUT A PUBLIC SERVANT, A CIVIL SERVANT. THERE'S NO PARTICULAR MAGIC ABOUT A POLITICIAN, WHAT MATTERS IS THE QUALITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

"

/"WHAT YOU