XN000022-1992-10-16 — Page 2

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1992

GOVERNOR:

1

GOVERNOR'S PUBLIC MEETING AT CULTURAL CENTRE

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MICHAEL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME TO THE FOURTH PUBLIC MEETING THAT I'VE HAD SINCE I MADE A SPEECH TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL JUST OVER A WEEK AGO. I HOPE YOU'VE ALL GOT THE RIGHT TICKETS. I AM NOT HERE TO PLAY THE ORGAN AND IF ANYBODY THINKS THIS IS THE OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL OF THE ASIAN ARTS THEY ARE IN FOR A SURPRISE. THE ONLY SURPRISE I'VE HAD OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO IS THAT SOME PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS A STRANGE THING TO HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS LIKE THIS. IN MY SPEECH TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS TO REFLECT THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN SAYING TO ME OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WHAT I WAS DOING WAS TO TALK ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AND IT IS ENTIRELY RIGHT THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK TO ME YOURSELVES ABOUT THE AGENDA THAT I HAVE PUT FORWARD FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

THERE IS ALSO, I THINK, A RATHER CURIOUS VIEW THAT GOVERNMENT IS SOMEHOW WEAKER IF THE GOVERNOR, OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT, COME BEFORE YOU TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. I THINK GOVERNMENT IS STRONGER AND BETTER WHEN IT DOES THAT. STRONGER AND BETTER FOR THIS REASON: WHEN PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE DECISIONS THEY TAKE, THEY THINK A LOT HARDER ABOUT THE DECISIONS AND TRY TO GET THE DECISIONS RIGHT. NOW, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN REPORTED A GREAT DEAL IN THE PAPERS AND ON THE RADIO AND TELEVISION, THE PROPOSALS THAT I PUT FORWARD IN MY SPEECH A WEEK AGO AND I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL IN GREAT DETAIL THIS EVENING,

J

AND

I HAVE FOUR AIMS, FOUR OBJECTIVES. FIRST OF ALL, TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG REMAINS THE MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITY AND COMMUNITY IN ASIA SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE STRONG ECONOMICALLY AND STRONG IN SOCIAL WAYS AS WELL. SECONDLY, I WANTED TO SHOW HOW WE CAN USE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH, SOME OF THE STRENGTH WHICH YOU HAVE CREATED TO MEET SOME OF OUR SOCIAL OBJECTIVES IN EDUCATION, IN SOCIAL WELFARE, IN HOUSING, IN THE ENVIRONMENT ELSEWHERE. THIRDLY, I WANTED TO PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS ABOUT HOW WE COULD INCREASE YOUR ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT TO SHAPE YOUR OWN FUTURE IN A WAY WHICH IS WHOLLY CONSISTENT WITH HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTION BEFORE AND AFTER 1997. AND LAST, I WANTED TO TRY TO SHOW HOW WE COULD FIGHT TO SECURE HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE FOR THE INDEFINITE FUTURE, FOR AS LONG AS ANY OF US CAN IMAGINE, BECAUSE THIS IS A MARVELLOUS AND SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT IT STAYS THAT WAY.

THAT'S WHAT I TRIED TO DO IN MY SPEECH AND I AM SURE THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL WANT TO ASK ME ABOUT THIS EVENING. BUT JUST BEFORE YOU START PUNCHING THE AIR LIKE AN AMERICAN FOOTBALLER, CAN WE ALL AGREE ON TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T ASKED QUESTIONS BEFORE SHOULD HAVE THE PRIORITY THIS EVENING. IS THAT AGREED? AND SECONDLY, EVERYONE ONLY ASKS ONE QUESTION. AGREED? BECAUSE YOU DO PEOPLE WHO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND, AFTER 10 MINUTES THEY

AND FOR MY 27TH QUESTION

SO, ON THAT BASIS WE'LL START.

GET SAY, I'LL IDENTIFY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT MICROPHONES AND SEE HOW MANY QUESTIONS WE CAN GET THROUGH BETWEEN NOW AND 7:15.

LET'S

/QUESTION: