XN000022-1993-09-21 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1993

FOR THE LAST

I

HAS BEEN A

SAID THIS BUT I HAVE

SIR DAVID, AS YOU KNOW, BAS HELD THE POST OF CHIEF SECRETARY SIX-AND-A-HALP YEARS. 1 THINK HE IS THE LONGEST SERVING CHIEF SECRETARY AND I THINK HIS RECORD AND HIS PERFORMANCE DURING THESE SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS YOU ARE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH. HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH SIR DAVID AND I THINK HE REALLY OUTSTANDING CHIEF SECRETARY, HE HAS SERVED WITH GREAT DISTINCTION AND WITH, I THINK, A GREAT DEAL OF COMMITMENT AND LOVE FOR THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY AND I REALISE VERY WELL, AS MORNING, THAT HIS WILL BE A VERY DIFFICULT ACT TO FOLLOW. ALSO WORKED IN A RANGE OF JOBS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE; I HAVE A GREAT DRAL OF AFFECTION FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE IN HONG KONG, REALLY, A TOP-NOTCH CIVIL SERVICE SECOND TO NONE. DESPITE SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES, WE HAVE A GREAT NUMBER OF VERY DEDICATED, VERY COMMITTED, MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE PREPARED TO DO THEIR BEST TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG, WHO ARE AWARE OF THE NEED TO CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND 1 CONSIDER IT A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BE, AS IT WERE, HEAD OF SUCH A FINE CIVIL SERVICE.

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL JUDGE ME ACCORDING TO MY ACHIEVEMENTS AND RESULTS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. WHAT I THINK I CAN PROMISE IS THAT I WILL SERVE WITH MY USUAL ENTHUSIASM AND I WILL DISCHARGE MY RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR AND I HOPE VERY MUCH TO WORK IN CLOSE CO-OPERATION AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF ALL MY COLLEAGUES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. I REALISE THAT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS HAVE GOT CERTAIN WORRIES, AND OF COURSE DURING THESE NEXT FEW TRANSITIONAL YEARS THERE WILL OF COURSE BE UNDERSTANDABLY A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY.

WILL DO MY BEST TO EASE THE MINDS OF CIVIL SERVANTS. IN THE TWO MONTHS, OR THREE MONTHS ACTUALLY, THAT I HAVE BEEN SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, I HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO MEET WITH AS MANY MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AS I POSSIBLY CAN. 1 HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, CHATTED UP ALL THE POLICY SECRETARIES, MET ALL HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, AND I AM ARRANGING INDIVIDUALLY TO MEET IN RATHER MORE INFORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WITH MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE AND WITH OTHER PROFESSIONAL OFFICERS, IN ORDER TO HAVE A BETTER FEEL FOR THE SORT OF WORRIES AND CONCERNS THAT CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE AND TO SEE IN WHAT WAY WE CAN TRY AND EASE THEIR MINDS.

I KNOW THAT THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL NOT BE EASY, THERE WILL BE MANY CHALLENGES. I, OF COURSE, WELCOME THESE CHALLENGES AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO TRY AND MEET THESE CHALLENGES AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE AS A WHOLE WILL BE MORE THAN ABLE TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES SUCCESSFULLY.

GOT

1

ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT BORN IN HONG KONG, 1 WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, I MARRIED AND RAISED MY FAMILY HERE, SO MY ROOTS ARE VERY MUCH IN HONG KONG AND I HOPE VERY MUCH IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO BR ABLE ΤΟ SERVE HONG KONG IN WHATEVER CAPACITY MAY BE AVAILABLE TO ME. IN THE 31 YEARS THAT I HAVE SERVED IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, I HAVE OF COURSE SEEN HONG KONG GO THROUGH MANY CRISES, AND IT SEEMS TO ME, EACH AND EVERY CRISIS HAS ONLY RESULTED IN HONG KONG EMERGING STRONGER EVER AND I AM SURE THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE. I PERSONALLY, AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND I HOPE, WITH THE CO- OPERATION OF MY COLLEAGUES AND WORKING IN CLOSE CO-OPERATION WITH MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THAT WE WILL, TOGETHER, BE ABLE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.

THAN VERY

/I AM