XN000022-1993-03-03 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1993

STATEMENT TO LEGCO ON FRIDAY

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON WITH THE CONTINGENT POSSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNOR MAKING A STATEMENT ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT TO THE COUNCIL ON FRIDAY.

SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER VISITING YAU TSIM DISTRICT, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN SAID: "I SAID THAT I INTENDED MAKING THINGS A LITTLE CLEARER THIS WEEK TO THE COMMUNITY AND I INTEND TO STICK TO THAT OBJECTIVE.

GIVEN UP HIS YESTERDAY

WAS

ASKED IF HIS REMARKS YESTERDAY MEANT HE HAD POLITICAL PROPOSALS, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WHAT I SAID VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I'VE SAID ON A NUMBER OF OTHER OCCASIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I CAME BACK FROM MY VISIT TO PEKING ON 24 OCTOBER.

"SO WHAT I SAID YESTERDAY DOESN'T REPRESENT ANY CHANGE. IT REPRESENTS A REPETITION OF WHAT HAS BEEN HONG KONG'S POSITION EVER SINCE 7 OCTOBER LAST YEAR.

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AND

COMMENTING ON THE BUDGET RELEASED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TODAY, THE GOVERNOR DESCRIBED IT AS A TRIBUTE TO THE HARD WORK SUCCESS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND ALSO A MARK OF THE PRUDENT SENSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS THE LAST FEW YEARS.

"IT'S A BUDGET WHICH MANAGES TO CUT TAXES FOR NINE OUT OF OF HONG KONG'S TAXPAYERS, HE SAID.

MORE

HELP

TT

AND

IN

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"IT PROVIDES MORE ASSISTANCE FOR THE DISADVANTAGED AND IT PUTS INVESTMENTS INTO SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS WHICH WILL ΤΟ SECURE OUR ECONOMY AND OUR PROSPERITY AND STABILITY IN THE

FUTURE.

"IT MAKES PROVISION FOR A LARGER SURPLUS BY 1997. SO, IT IS A BUDGET AND, I AM SURE, WILL BE RECOGNISED AS SUCH BY THE

REMARKABLE COMMUNITY.

"IT, OF COURSE, REFLECTS DISCUSSIONS WHICH THE SECRETARY HAS BEEN HAVING WITH MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE WITH BUSINESSMEN, AND WITH OTHERS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

FINANCIAL

COUNCIL,

"I AM PARTICULARLY PLEASED THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAS BEEN ABLE то MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE PROMISES THAT I MADR IN MY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEECH LAST OCTOBER, ARE ALL BEING CARRIED OUT AND WE ARE ABLE TO GO RATHER FURTHER IN A NUMBER OF WELFARE AREAS THAN WE INTENDED.

"I AM ALSO DELIGHTED AT THE ADDITIONAL HELP WHICH HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR ONE OF THE NEEDIEST GROUPS AND THE COMMUNITY GROUP WHICH REALLY DESERVE GREATER SUPPORT, AND THAT IS THE HEMOPHILIACS."

/ASKED ABOUT