XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

GOVERNOR:

PROPOSALS

ISN'T

FOR

THAT IT

AND WHAT ELSE?

DOWN AND WILL BE

HOPES 1 DON'T THINK THAT HAVING JUST SET OUT OUR

AND FOR GREATER CO-OPERATION AND FOR THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTABILITY IT WOULD MAKE VERY MUCH SENSE FOR ME TO START TALKING ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVES IF THAT FAILS. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WORK THE BEST

BUT I DO THINK AS I SAID AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHAT ELSE REASONABLY AND HONOURABLY SENSIBLY ANYBODY ELSE THINKS THAT WE SHOULD BE OFFERING?

BE TURNED AND

ENOUGH, AND IF THAT IS TO IF THAT

I HOPE THOSE WHO TURN IT DOWN AND REJECT IT REJECTED, THEN ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS THEMSELVES. 1 DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY MORAL OR POLITICAL EQUIVALENTS BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH TURNING THEM GOVERNMENT MAKING THESE POSITIVE PROPOSALS AND OTHERS

A LOT OF DOWN. SO

DO HOPE THAT OF COURSE THERE IS GOING TO BE I DISCUSSION, OF COURSE THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT MATTERS BUT

CAN 1 DO HOPE THAT WE

THINGS FORWARD, TAKE

DISAGREED

SOME VERY FUNDAMENTAL MATTERS IN THE PAST. ABOUT INEVITABLY.

HOPE WE CAN FIND WAYS IN WHICH

Τ

THESE THINGS.

WE

THESE HAVING

MAY

BE

CO-OPERATE

ABOUT

QUESTION:

IN YOUR GOVERNOR, THERE IS IMPLICIT IN YOUR ADDRESS,

THINGS. ANSWERS TODAY, A FEELING THAT HONG KONG IS SO CAPABLE OF DOING

1,000 DAYS YOU'VE BY ITSELF, THAT WANTS TO GET ON WITH IT, WITH THE

OF LOCALISATION

LAWS. WHY NOT GOT TO GET ON, JUST FOR EXAMPLE THE SIMPLY GET ON WITH THE LOCALISATION OF LAWS, DO THE JOB, HAND IT

THESE LAWS, AT THE END OF THE DAY AND SAY "IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THEM WITH YOUR LEGISLATURE AFTERWARDS" AND AT LEAST GET IT DONE.

OVER

AMEND

FOR

GOVERNOR:

BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO WELL,

THROUGH, EXAMPLE, THE LOCALISATION AND ADAPTATION OF LAWS EXERCISE, WHAT WE ARE Of TRYING TO DO IS TO REMOVE DOUBTS AND UNCERTAINTIES AND THE COURSE

WHICH YOU PROPOSE ACTION

THE DOES CONTAIN

DANGER OF CONTINUING IF WE CAN DO THINGS AND TOGETHER, IF WE CAN DO THAT THINGS CO-OPERATIVELY, IT'S BETTER THAN HAVING TO GOVERN WITHOUT SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION, BUT, OF COURSE, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES 1 CAN'T CO-OPERATE.

UNCERTAINTIES.

QUESTION:

80

WE

UP

ON THE ONE HAND YOU ARGUE AGAINST GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO THE PENSION SCHEME WHILE AT THE SAME TIME YOU SET THIS ELDERLY SERVICES FUND AND PUBLIC SPENDING ON THE ELDERLY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE LOGIC ON THAT POLICY DECISION?

BY FROM

GOVERNOR:

WELL, WE HAVEN'T DECLINED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PENSION SCHEME, WE'VE ACTUALLY PROPOSED PUTTING 10 BILLION HONG KONG DOLLARS IN AND IF THAT'S UNREASONABLE I WOULDN'T MIND BEING BATTERED AROUND THE HEAD WITH A CHEQUE FOR $10 BILLION. IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION, AS WELL, OF COURSE, AS THE CONTRIBUTION REPRESENTED THE CIVIL SERVICE PENSIONS THAT WE PAY ALREADY. WE'VE PROPOSED, THE LOTTERIES FUND, 200 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NON- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, FOR SELF-FINANCING SERVICES, THE SORT OF THINGS WHICH I'VE SEEN WORKING VERY SUCCESSFULLY AROUND THE TERRITORY, LIKE DAY-CARE CENTRES, LIKE SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY LIKE THE ONE THAT I SAW IN WAN CHAI A FEW MONTHS AGO. I

IT'S A SENSIBLE WAY OF DEVELOPING A BETTER THINK

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE ELDERLY. BUT I DON'T SEE ANY CONTRADICTION BETWEEN OUR COMMITMENT OF 10 BILLION FOR THE PENSION SCHEME AND 200 MILLION FOR THE ELDERLY SERVICES FUND.

-

/QUESTION:

J