XN000022-1992-07-01 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1992

LEGCO EXISTS TO SERVE: GOVERNOR

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND ALL ITS MEMBERS EXIST TO SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THAT DETERMINATION SHOULD REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS, THE GOVERNOR, LORD WILSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A STATEMENT TO FORMALLY TAKE LEAVE OF THE COUNCIL, LORD WILSON SAID IT WAS TRUE OF THE ELECTED MEMBERS, THE APPOINTED MEMBERS, THE ADMINISTRATION, WHETHER MEMBERS ATTENDING OR BEING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR AS THE PRESIDENT.

AND

NOTING THAT IT WAS RIGHT THAT THERE SHOULD BE ARGUMENT DISCUSSION, AND QUESTIONING AND EXPLANATION, HE SAID THEY SHOULD NOT TAKE PLACE FOR THEIR OWN SAKES.

"THEY ARE A MEANS OF GETTING TO THE OBJECTIVE THE OBJECTIVE OF DOING WHAT IS RIGHT AND BEST FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG," HE SAID.

"AS THIS COUNCIL

MOVES FORWARD TO REORGANISE THE WAY IT CONDUCTS ITS OWN BUSINESS, YOU WILL ALWAYS WISH TO HAVE THIS OBJECTIVE CLEARLY IN MIND.

יו

"WE MUST NOT LET DISCUSSIONS BECOME THE ENEMY OF DECISIONS.

NOTING THAT THE PAST FIVE YEARS HAD BEEN EVENTFUL ONES, THE GOVERNOR SAID HONG KONG HAD HAD CRISES TO FACE AND PROBLEMS TO SOLVE BUT IT HAD COME THROUGH THE CRISES WELL.

SAID.

"AND WE HAVE ACHIEVEMENTS AS WELL AS PROBLEMS TO

RECORD, HE

"ACHIEVEMENTS WHICH HAVE SEEN THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BETTER PROVIDED FOR WITH HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL BENEFITS; WITH BETTER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN AN EXPANDED PROGRAMME OF EDUCATION; AND LIVING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS BEGINNING, ALTHOUGH ONLY BEGINNING, TO BE MORE CARE FOR.

"WE

ITS FUTURE.

HAVE A COMMUNITY WHICH IS MORE CONFIDENT IN ITSELF AND IN

"AND WE HAVE AN ECONOMY, MUCH HELPED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHERN CHINA, WHICH IS THE ENVY OF MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD AND THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION OF ALL OUR OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS.

++

LORD WILSON PAID A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE WORK OF MR JOHN WHO HAD FULFILLED THE ROLE OF DEPUTY PRESIDENT SINCE OCTOBER

SWAINE, LAST YEAR.

MR SWAJNE HAD PRESIDED OVER THE WORK OF THIS COUNCIL WITH FAIRNESS, DIGNITY AND PATIENCE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

/"HIS ROLE