XN000022-1993-12-21 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1993

GOVERNOR SPEAKS TO REPORTERS

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THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE FOUNDATION STONE LAYING CEREMONY FOR THE LINGNAN COLLEGE NEW CAMPUS IN TUEN MUN TODAY (TUESDAY):

GOVERNOR: I AM DELIGHTED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND THE LAYING OF THIS FOUNDATION STONE. LINGNAN COLLEGE IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. IT PROVIDES A MARVELLOUS EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS AND, I AM SURE, WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO ON THIS MAGNIFICENT NEW SITE AND THE SUN IS ALWAYS GOING TO SHINE HERE,

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, WHAT IS YOUR FEEDBACK TO THE COUNTER PROPOSAL FOR THE RETIREMENT SCHEME BY THE THREE POLITICAL PARTIES? DO YOU THINK THE PROPOSAL IS CLEAR AND SENSIBLE TO THE SOCIETY?

GOVERNOR: I THINK THAT THOSE WHO PUT THE PROPOSAL FORWARD WILL WANT TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER AND IN DUE COURSE WITH THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY. EVERY PROPOSAL FOR HELPING THE RETIRED WILL NEED VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE TWO POINTS. IT SEEMS TO ME A LITTLE CURIOUS TO CRITICISE THE PROPOSAL WE PUT FORWARD AS REPRESENTING AN EXAMPLE OF THE WORST SORT OF WELFARE STATISM AND THEN TO PROPOSE ONESELF ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WILL INVOLVE A HUGE CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TAXPAYERS WITHOUT ANY CAP ON IT. SECONDLY, I REPEAT WHAT I'VE SAID BEFORE, THE MAIN ARGUMENTS WHICH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY HAD BETTER RECOGNISED AGAINST A CPF ARE THAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE WOULD BE HIGHER AND THE BENEFITS LOWER, NOT A VERY GOOD BARGAIN FOR THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS WHY I SUSPECT THAT WHEN THE COMMUNITY HAS A GOOD LOOK AT THE FIGURES, IT WILL REJECT IT. THERE WAS AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT IN MING PAO YESTERDAY WHICH, I THINK, DREW ATTENTION TO SOME OF THESE ARGUMENTS. BUT I REPEAT WHAT WE'VE STARTED IS AN IMPORTANT DEBATE. PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS AN OPEN AND SHUT ISSUE, I THINK, NOW LEARNING THAT IT'S NOT. IT DEMANDS A GOOD DEAL OF DISCUSSION AND A GOOD DEAL OF DISCUSSION, I HOPE, WITHOUT SOME OF THE MISLEADING THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN SAID IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. THE FIRST STEP SHOULD BE FOR THOSE WHO PUT FORWARD OTHER PROPOSALS TO DISCUSS THEM WITH THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER AND LET'S SEE HOW THE FIGURES ACTUALLY STAND UP WHEN THEY ARE EXAMINED IN DETAIL. ANYTHING ELSE.

AND

QUESTION: YOU SAID THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS QUITE CREDIBLE REPRESENTS PEOPLE'S IDEA, SO DO YOU MEAN THAT NOW THEIR PROPOSAL IS CONTRADICTORY TO THE PEOPLE'S DESIRE?

GOVERNOR: WHAT I BELIEVE IN IS AN EXECUTIVE WHICH IS ACCOUNTABLE ΤΟ THE LEGISLATURE, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO PROCEED BY GIVING A LEAD AND THEN GETTING INVOLVED IN DIALOGUE. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DO THINGS WHICH YOU BELIEVE ARE WRONG. BUT, THE DECISIONS WE ARE TAKING ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ONES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THEY ARE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF DISCUSSION. EVERYBODY KNOWS THEY ARE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF DISCUSSION. WHAT I WANT TO SEE IS THE BEST POSSIBLE DEAL FOR THE ELDERLY OF HONG KONG AT THE MOST REASONABLE PRICE AND THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY MUST WANT TO SEE. ONE MORE.

/QUESTION