XN000022-1994-06-29 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1994

TRANSCRIPT OF GOVERNOR'S MEDIA SESSION

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEDIA SESSION BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, AFTER HIS VISIT TO THE KWAI TSING DISTRICT THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON:

GOVERNOR: I'VE ENJOYED ANOTHER VISIT TO KWAT TSING. THE CHAIRMAN ALWAYS SEEMS TO ALLOW VERY GOOD WEATHER FOR ME. OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS HERE IN KWAI TSING, BOTH THE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT. AS WE SAW FROM THE PETITIONS TODAY, THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE QUALITY AND THE COST OF PUBLIC HOUSING AS WELL. I'VE BEEN SAYING TO THE DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS THAT WE'LL LOOK WORKING WITH THE BOARD IN TACKLING THOSE PROBLEMS, NOT

FORWARD TO LEAST AFTER THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER FOR WHICH, I THINK, THERE ARE ALREADY QUITE A LARGE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES.

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, HOW WOULD YOU SEE TODAY'S DEBATE IN LEGCO? 1 KNOW THEY ARE NOW... THE ON-GOING DEBATE.

GOVERNOR: I DON'T THINK THAT YOU EXPECT ME TO COMMENT ON THE DEBATE UNTIL IT'S COMPLETED. I SUSPECT THERE ARE MANY HOURS LEFT FOR THE DEBATE. THERE ARE A LOT OF AMENDMENTS WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SENSIBLE FOR ME NOT TO COMMENT UNTIL THE DEBATE IS ABSOLUTELY FINISHED THEN WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE STAND. BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. IT'S A HISTORIC DAY. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS TAKING DECISIONS THAT WILL HAVE A CONSIDERABLE EFFECT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. THE FACT THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS TAKING THOSE FINAL DECISIONS, IS, IN MY JUDGMENT, EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD BE. THE MATTER IS BEING DISCUSSED OPENLY. THE MATTER IS BEING DISCUSSED PUBLICLY AND THE ISSUES WILL BE RESOLVED OPENLY AND PUBLICLY. AND I REPEAT THAT I WON'T BE COMMENTING ANY MORE ABOUT THE DEBATE UNTIL IT'S OVER. BUT WE ARE PUTTING OUR CASE VERY VIGOROUSLY IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, WHY DO PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK YOUR JOB IS OVER IN HONG KONG AFTER TONIGHT'S VOTE?

GOVERNOR: MY JOB GOES ON UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997, GOD WILLING. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT I'M INVOLVED IN, A LOT OF THINGS I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT TODAY, THE WHOLE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA AND I'LL SAY WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING. I SHOULD THINK ONCE A WEEK FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, THAT IS, THAT I WAS APPOINTED FOR FIVE YEARS AND GOD WILLING, I SHALL BE HERE UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997, ENJOYING THE JOB, CHALLENGING

THOUGH IT IS.

ON

QUESTION: LEGISLATORS TODAY REPEATEDLY SAID THAT THEY SHOULD VOTE CONSCIENCE AND DURING THE LOBBYING EFFORT, WHAT SORT OF DEAL-MAKING HAS THE GOVERNMENT MADE WITH THOSE LEGISLATORS? IS IT SOMETHING DEALING WITH THEIR VESTED INTERESTS?

+

+

GOVERNOR: I AM NOT GOING TO. (INTERRUPTED). OF COURSE, PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE ON CONSCIENCE.

/QUESTION: