XN000022-1993-12-10 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1993

TRANSCRIPT OF GOVERNOR'S MEDIA SESSION

FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR, THE ᎡᎢ HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING WING LUNG BANK GOLDEN JUBILEE SHELTERED WORKSHOP TODAY (FRIDAY):

GOVERNOR:

I'VE ENJOYED THIS MORNING VISITING A HOME FOR THE ELDERLY AND THIS SHELTERED WORKSHOP. AS YOU WILL DOUBTLESSLY RECALL IN MY SPEECH TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I SAID THAT WE NEED TO DEVELOP A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND COHERENCE STRATEGY FOR HELPING THE ELDERLY.

OF

WE HAVE SET UP A WORKING PARTY TO PULL ALL THE THREADS OF POLICY TOGETHER, PROVISION OF ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE AND PROVISION PROPER WELFARE FACILITIES, PROVISION OF PLACES IN CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES AND INFIRMARIES AND SO ON. THAT WORKING PARTY HAD ITS FIRST MEETING IN NOVEMBER AND IT WILL BE REPORTING TO ME BY NEXT AUGUST.

SECONDLY, I MADE IT CLEAR ONCE AGAIN, IN MY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEECH, THAT PROVISION OF SERVICES, OF ADEQUATE SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED IS ANOTHER OF OUR PRIORITIES. WE WANT IN HONG KONG TO GIVE THOSE WITH DISABILITIES EVERY CHANCE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION ΤΟ THE COMMUNITY. THEY BENEFIT FROM THAT, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM THAT. IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO GIVE THOSE WHO CAN MANAGE IT, WHO ARE DISABLED, THE CHANCE OF OPEN EMPLOYMENT. SHELTERED WORKSHOPS LIKE THIS, EXCELLENT ONE, ARE A GOOD STEP ON THE ROAD ΤΟ OPEN

EMPLOYMENT.

I'LL BE CHAIRING A SUMMIT OF GROUPS REPRESENTING THE DISABLED AND GROUPS REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS IN FEBRUARY TO CONSIDER WHAT MORE WE CAN DO TO MAKE FURTHER PLACES AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET PLACE FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITY. I THINK IT'S AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AREA FOR US TO DEVELOP OUR POLICIES AND OUR APPROACH, AND I HOPE WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT AREA AS WE WERE WHEN WE HAD THE SUMMIT A FEW MONTHS AGO ON THE TRANSPORT NEEDS OF THE DISABLED.

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, ARE YOU GOING TO FACE LU PING'S CHALLENGE BY RELEASING DETAILS OF THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS ?

GOVERNOR: I WAS INTERESTED IN WHAT THE DISTINGUISHED DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE HAD TO SAY. AND PERHAPS I CAN PUT IT IN CONTEXT,

HERE IN HONG KONG WE HAVE AN OPEN SOCIETY AND WE HAVE A FREE PRESS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T SEEK TO LEAN ON. IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, I'M TOLD ELSEWHERE. SO WE'RE USED TO AN OPEN DIALOGUE ABOUT ISSUES LIKE THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S THE CHIEF SECRETARY ANSON CHAN SAID THE OTHER DAY. WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HONG KONG'S FUTURE OVER THE HEADS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE THINK THEY SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN JUDGMENTS ABOUT THEIR FUTURE.

/THE SECOND