XN000022-1992-10-08 — Page 53

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1992

QUESTION:

J

FIRST, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR

PATTEN FOR BECOMING

-

PATRON TO THE INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS AND YOUR SPEECH IS LIKE A GREAT IT WIND OF

AND I MAKE CHANGE, THANK GOD FOR IT. ANYWAY, MY POINT VERY QUICKLY

AT THE LEASES WHICH EXIST IN HONG KONG

THE PRESENT MOMENT ARE TWO YEAR LEASES. THIS MEANS THAT THE DEVELOPER CAN COME ALONG AT ANY TIME, BUY A BLOCK OF BUILDINGS THAT HE HAS CAST HIS EYE

AND ON,

WITHIN TWO YEARS, HE CAN KICK EVERYBODY OUT. SO THAT THE ENGLISHMAN, THE CHINESE MAN OR ANYBODY ELSE'S HOME IS NOT HIS CASTLE. AND ONCE YOU ARE THROWN OUT OF THESE BUILDINGS, MANY OF US ARE MANGERS OR DIRECTORS OF PRIVATE BUSINESSES, YOU ARE THROWN ON TO A MARKET WHERE THE RENTS ARE GOING UP. SO, WE ARE BEING PUSHED DOWN THE LADDER AND CREATING A BULGE AT THE LOWER END. I THINK THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT WILL RISE VERY VERY RAPIDLY IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

KIT CUMINGS: WHEN YOU SAY TWO YEARS, IS THIS UNUSUAL FOR ANYBODY WHO IS RENTING OUT HIS FLAT TO SOMEONE ELSE, NOT TO PROVIDE A SORT OF TERM OF TWO YEARS OR SOME SUCH TERM, WHETHER IN ENGLAND OR AMERICA OR ANYWHERE ELSE, WOULD THAT NOT BE SO?

QUESTIONER:

GOVERNOR :

OH NO, YOU GET MUCH LONGER LEASES IN THE UK.

I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, YES AND NO. UNDER THE SYSTEM IN UK WHICH WAS INTRODUCED NOT VERY LONG AGO SOMETHING CALLED SHORT-HOLD TENURE YOU'D GET THE SORT OF FIXED TERM THAT KIT WAS THE TALKING ABOUT. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU HAVE BEEN A TENANT FROM PERIOD BEFORE SHORT-HOLD YOU MIGHT HAVE A LEASE OR A LET WITH NO LIMIT TO IT. IT WOULD DEPEND A BIT. BUT THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THE POINT'S RAISED WITH ME IN HONG KONG AND I'LL CERTAINLY CONSIDER IT, ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A PRIVATE SECTOR IN RENTING, THEN YOU DO HAVE TO BALANCE THE INTERESTS OF LANDLORD AND TENANT.

BEEN

BUT

KIT CUMINGS: TIME HAS CAUGHT UP WITH US, I'M AFRAID. IT'S NEARLY 9 O'CLOCK. IT REMAINS FOR US TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO DID CALL IN,

SORRY TO THOSE OF YOU WHO TRIED TO CALL IN BUT DIDN'T GET YOUR QUESTION IN. I KNOW THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OF YOU OUT THERE WHO WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. HOWEVER, THERE WAS HOPE FROM WHAT MR PATTEN SAID. HE SEEMED TO BE ENJOYING HIMSELF, IF 1 MAY SAY SO, AND HE DID SUGGEST THAT HE WOULD DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS. HE WONDERED WHETHER HE WAS BORING US AND I THINK THE ANSWER GENERALLY WOULD BE CERTAINLY NOT, WAS VERY INTERESTING. AND MR PATTEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HOPE YOU'VE PERHAPS GAINED SOMETHING FROM BEING ON THIS SPECIAL CHINESE AND ENGLISH PROGRAMME WHEN LISTENERS WERE VOICING THEIR CONCERNS TO YOU.

IT

GOVERNOR :

I VERY MUCH ENJOYED IT. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, WHEN ONE'S TALKING ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE FUTURE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE OF TALKING ABOUT THEM. I DON'T WANT THROUGH BROADCASTS OR DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS IN ANY WAY TO TRY TO COMPETE WITH LEGISLATORS WHO'VE GOT THEIR OWN GREAT CREDIBILITY BECAUSE OF THEIR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT, JUST AS I AM ANSWERABLE TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THAT I SHOULD BE ANSWERABLE THROUGH PROGRAMMES LIKE THIS TO THE LISTENERS AND VIEWERS IN HONG KONG AND I HOPE IF YOU WILL HAVE ME BACK, THAT I CAN DO THIS AGAIN.

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