XN000022-1994-02-02 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1994

I AS

I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE CAN ALSO SEE EMPLOYERS AND VOLUNTARY GROUPS CONTRIBUTING AND THEY'VE AGREED TO LOOK AT THE PROPOSALS I'VE PUT FORWARD. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THOSE GROUPS REPRESENTING EMPLOYERS WOULD ADVISE THEIR MEMBERS TO SET OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THEIR ANNUAL REPORTS, A FULL STATEMENT ON THEIR POLICY AND APPROACH TO EMPLOYING THE DISABLED. AND THERE IS ALSO A CASE, THINK, FOR EMPLOYERS COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO VOLUNTARY TARGETS GOVERNMENT HAS DONE, NOT QUOTAS, NOTHING LAID DOWN CENTRALLY, NOTHING STATUTORY BUT A VOLUNTARY APPROACH TO INCREASE THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISABLED WHICH I THINK WOULD GIVE PERSONNEL MANAGERS IN ALL OUR FIRMS A REAL AND SUBSTANTIAL STEERING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE NEED FROM NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS THEIR HELP IN SHARING WITH US SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCE OF COUNSELLING AND THEIR REHABILITATION WORK.

So THOSE WERE A FEW OF THE PROPOSALS

THAT WE DISCUSSED

MEETING SUMMITS

UPSTAIRS AND WHAT WE ARE INTENDING TO DO IS TO HOLD A SIMILAR NEXT YEAR SO WE CAN REPORT ON PROGRESS. I THINK THESE ANNUAL WITH EMPLOYERS AND DISABILITY GROUPS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT WAY OF BROADENING OPPORTUNITY IN HONG KONG AND IN THAT WAY, WE ARE NOT GIVING PROPER JUSTICE TO THE DISABLED BUT WE ARE ALSO DOING A FAVOUR BY HELPING TO DEVELOP OUR ECONOMY,

ONLY

OURSELVES

CUT THE

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, MANY PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT YOU WILL BUDGET IN SOCIAL WELFARE IN ORDER TO MEET CHINA'S CONCERN ON AIRPORT WHICH YOU REFUSED TO DISCLOSE?

WE

GOVERNOR: I PREFER THIS MORNING, IF I MAY, TO TALK ABOUT DISABILITY.

PAY BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE NO CUTS IN OTHER PROGRAMMES IN ORDER TO FOR THE AIRPORT. THAT'S NO WITH A CAPITAL N AND A CAPITAL O. NO CUTS IN ORDER TO MEET WHAT WE WANT TO DO ON THE AIRPORT. FORTUNATELY, ARE IN A STRONG ENOUGH POSITION FINANCIALLY IN THIS COMMUNITY,

I THANKS TO

THINGS THE GOVERNMENT, EXCEPT THAT WE'VE MANAGED PRUDENTLY, BUT THANKS TO THE HARD WORK OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. ARE IN A STRONG ENOUGH POSITION AND MANAGE TO INCREASE OUR SPENDING ON

PROGRAMMES WHILE AT SOCIAL

THE SAME TIME PUTTING MORE

OUR INTO INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT IS SOMETHING WE DETERMINE TO DO.

NOT

HOPE

WE

QUESTION: PEOPLE

WHY DO YOU STEER AWAY FROM QUOTA ON VACANCIES FOR

DISABLED

?

+

IT.

IT

WAS ΤΟ

BY

GOVERNOR: WELL, I THINK IT WAS INTERESTING UPSTAIRS OF

IT WAS MENTIONED BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE. BUT I THINK THE GENERAL FEELING THAT

WAS MORE IN LINE WITH THE HONG KONG APPROACH TO TRY ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY EFFORT AND TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE COMMITMENT EMPLOYERS RATHER THAN TO DRIVE THEM INTO DOING SOMETHING STATUTORY.

I THAT

GUESS WAS CERTAINLY THE FEELING IN THE MEETING UPSTAIRS. BUT THAT IF

THE WITH VOLUNTARY WE DON'T MAKE A SUCCESS OF IT

TARGETS,

AND VOLUME. ARGUMENTS FOR CENTRAL QUOTAS WOULD INCREASE IN STRENGTH THAT'S AN ARGUMENT FOR TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOLUNTARY APPROACH WORKS.

QUESTION: DOOR"

MR

HELD PATTEN, HOW COME THE MEETING WAS

BEHIND CLOSED

/GOVERNOR