XN000022-1994-03-29 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1994

GOVERNOR SPEAKS TO PRESS AFTER EXCO MEETING

GOVERNOR:

GOOD MORNING, SINCE I AM GOING BACK TO EUROPE THIS EVENING I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE YOU A CHANCE OF ASKING SOME QUESTIONS NOW RATHER THAN OBLIGE YOU TO COME OUT TO THE AIRPORT AT HALF-PAST TEN OR A QUARTER-TO-ELEVEN. SO I JUST GIVE YOU DUE NOTICE THAT I'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS NOW BUT I WILL GO THROUGH THE AIRPORT TONIGHT, I TRUST, LIKE A KNIFE THROUGH BUTTER.

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I AM GOING BACK FOR A ROUTINE VISIT

TO LONDON, VIA DUBLIN WHERE I AM DELIVERING THE SECOND INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS LECTURE AT TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, TOMORROW NIGHT. I AM THEN GOING ON ΤΟ LONDON ON THURSDAY AND DURING MY VISIT TO LONDON I WILL ВЕ SEEING THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, A NUMBER OF OTHER MINISTERS INCLUDING MR GOODLAD, I WILL BE SEEING SENIOR OFFICIALS, I WILL BE SEEING MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IN LONDON. IT WILL BE A FAIRLY STANDARD VISIT AND AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE SET A PATTERN OF ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OF THESE VISITS A YEAR, LIKE MY PREDECESSOR, AND THE NEXT ONE, I GUESS, WILL BE IN THE EARLY SUMMER JUST TO SAVE YOU ANY SPECULATIVE VENTURES I WOULD BE EXPECTING TO GO ABOUT THAT TIME.

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WHEN I RETURN, CLEARLY THE NUMBER ONE DOMESTIC ISSUE ON MY AGENDA WILL BE PROPERTY PRICES. I THINK THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ISSUE, AS THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH AND AS HE WILL SAY AGAIN IN HIS REPLY ΤΟ THE BUDGET TOMORROW. IT IS A SUBJECT WHICH CONCERNS EVERYONE BECAUSE IT IS A THREAT TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF ORDINARY FAMILIES HERE IN HONG KONG, AND WE ALL RECOGNISE, I THINK, THAT IT IS A THREAT TO OUR COMPETITIVENESS AS AN ECONOMY AS WELL. IT IS NOT AN EASY PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO SIMPLE SOLUTIONS AND WE HAVE TO TAKE GREAT CARE IN ADDRESSING IT IN CASE WE CREATE SERIOUS AND DAMAGING PROBLEMS IN THE PROPERTY MARKET AS A RESULT OF INEPT ACTION. SO WE HAVE TO TAKE COMPREHENSIVE MEASURES BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE MEASURES THAT WON'T CREATE DIFFERENT BUT EQUALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN THE SECTOR.

THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ΤΟ SHOW IMAGINATION. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE EXCEPTIONAL MEASURES. IT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL PROBLEM AND I THINK THAT IT WILL DEMAND EXCEPTIONAL MEASURES. BUT I DON'T WANT US TO GO OFF AT HALF- COCK, I WANT US TO COME FORWARD WITH A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF PROPOSALS. THAT IS WHAT OFFICIALS ARE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE EARLY SUMMER. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LAND WILL. I THINK, SAY A LITTLE MORE ON THIS SUBJECT TOMORROW, THOUGH THEY WON'T BE IN A POSITION TO SPELL OUT THE PRECISE DETAILS OF OUR PLANS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET RIGHT WHAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WANTS US, I KNOW, TO DO.

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QUESTION:

GOVERNOR, CHRISTINE LOH'S AMENDMENT FOR WOMEN AND MEN TO INHERIT LAND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, ARE YOU IN FAVOUR OF IT?

/GOVERNOR: