XN000022-1992-10-08 — Page 26

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1992

GOVERNOR:

WELL, IF YOU DON'T FIND MY ANSWER SATISFACTORY, I'M DELIGHTED TO SAY THAT ELSIE TU IS IN THE THIRD ROW AND AS EVERYBODY IN HONG KONG KNOWS, ELSIE HAS AN ANSWER TO ABSOLUTELY EVERY PROBLEM.

LET ME JUST SAY THIS, SERIOUSLY, IN RESPONSE ΤΟ YOUR QUESTION AND THIS IS THE WALLED CITY QUESTION FOR TONIGHT, I DON'T THINK WE CAN HAVE EVERY QUESTION ON THE WALLED CITY.

IN EVERY COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THIS ONE, THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE DECIDES FROM TIME TO TIME THAT A PARTICULAR AREA, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, SHOULD BE REDEVELOPED; THAT HAS HAPPENED IN A NUMBER OF OTHER PARTS OF HONG KONG.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES SHOULD BE CONSULTED, IN THE SECOND PLACE THAT THEY SHOULD BE OFFERED RE-HOUSING AND COMPENSATION IF THE PLAN GOES AHEAD.

YOU

THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE CASE OF THE WALLED CITY, WITH FOR EXAMPLE A RIGHT OF APPEAL TO THE BOARD THAT DESCRIBED IN LESS THAN FLATTERING TERMS, APPEAL TO A BOARD IF YOU DON'T LIKE COMPENSATION TERMS. I HAVE TO SAY, AND IT'S NOT AN UNREASONABLE POINT TO MAKE, THOUGH I APPRECIATE THE STRENGTH OF YOUR FEELING, THAT I BELIEVE 1'M RIGHT IN SAYING THAT 98.5% OF THOSE WERE AFFECTED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT HAVE ACCEPTED THE TERMS THAT OFFERED THEM. THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE STILL ARGUING BUT IT DOES TO ME THAT 98.5% IS QUITE A HIGH FIGURE.

WHO WERE

SEEM

I'M SORRY THAT I CAN'T SAY ANY MORE TO YOU THAN THAT, BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE CASE IN ANY COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY ONE THAT'S GROWING AND EXPANDING AND THRIVING, THAT ONE HAS TO REDEVELOP PARTS OF IT FROM TIME TO TIME AND MAKE, J HOPE, ADEQUATE AND GENEROUS COMPENSATION PAYMENTS AS A RESULT.

QUESTION:

ARE YOU SURE THAT IN THE FUTURE, CRC WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT POLICY? AND WILL YOU CONFIRM NOW, IN 1997 THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN THE LEGCO SEATS TO SATISFY THE UNITED DEMOCRATS? DO YOU KNOW WHETHER THE HIGH PROPERTY PRICES REFLECT MARKET PRICE OR DOES THE GOVERNMENT TO INTERFERE OR A FEW MORE HOUSE OWNERSHIP SCHEMES. I SPEAK CHINESE FOR THE NEXT QUESTION. WILL YOU SEE AND RECTIFY THE SITUATION?

INTERPRETER:

AND THERE ARE ALL THESE COMIC BOOKS AND BAD MOVIES AND UNDESIRABLE TV SHOWS IN HONG KONG, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY MESSAGE TO DEAL WITH THEM?

GOVERNOR:

THREE QUESTIONS I THINK. FIRST OF ALL, DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS, SECONDLY, HIGH PROPERTY PRICES, AND THIRDLY + I THINK THAT YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT PORNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE AND

PORNOGRAPHIC FILMS

AND GAMBLING

—

ALL RIGHT.

LET ME DEAL WITH

THOSE IN SEQUENCE.

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