XN000022-1994-10-06 — Page 13

11

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1994

WE

I THINK IT IS, IF I MAY SAY SO, NOT JUST A QUESTION OF MACHINERY, I THINK IT IS ALSO A QUESTION OF WILL AND A MATTER OF RECOGNISING THAT TIME IS RUNNING SHORT, THAT ISSUES THAT MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT WE COULD DEVOTE A LONG AND ACADEMIC DISCUSSION TO A FEW YEARS OR A FEW MONTHS AGO ARE NOW PRESSING IN ON US. SO WE'VE PUT IDEAS TO THE CHINESE SIDE, THEY MAY HAVE IDEAS THAT THEY WANT TO PUT TO US, AND I HOPE WE CAN FIND A BETTER WAY OF DOING BUSINESS TOGETHER.

DR SAMUEL WONG:

MR GOVERNOR, YESTERDAY, IN PARAGRAPH 15. OF YOUR POLICY ADDRESS YOU SAID THAT UNDER STRINGENT CONTROL THERE WILL BE A QUOTA OF IMPORTED WORKERS ALLOWED INTO HONG KONG. AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO PROVIDE RE-TRAINING FOR THOSE IN THE DECLINING INDUSTRIES. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED RE-TRAINING SOME HAVE NOT GOT NEW JOBS. I WONDER IF THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CAN SET A GOOD EXAMPLE BY EMPLOYING THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED RE-TRAINING TO TAKE UP SIMPLE CLERICAL WORK FOR EXAMPLE, OR TO ACT AS OFFICE ASSISTANTS AND SO ON?

GOVERNOR:

QUESTIONS ABOUT RE-TRAINING AND THE LABOUR MARKET. I HAVE TO SAY THAT I DON'T THINK THAT IF YOU ARE TRAINED OR RE-TRAINED IN ONE PARTICULAR SKILL THAT IT NECESSARILY MAKES VERY MUCH SENSE ΤΟ BE EMPLOYED IN AN UNSKILLED WAY BY THE PUBLIC SECTOR. I THINK THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS BETTER EMPLOYED TRYING TO FIND WAYS IN WHICH YOUR SKILLS CAN BE USED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE INTENT ON ENSURING IS THAT GOVERNMENT IS AS EFFICIENTLY MANAGED AS THE PRIVATE SECTOR, EVEN PERHAPS IN SOME AREAS MORE EFFICIENTLY MANAGED THAN PARTS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE AN IMPERATIVE FOR THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND I DON'T THINK, THEREFORE, THAT WE CAN REGARD OUR ROLE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE AS THE EMPLOYERS OF LAST RESORT. BUT THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS QUITE RIGHT TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND HE IS QUITE RIGHT TO SAY THAT WE IN GOVERNMENT HAVE TO FIND BETTER WAYS OF ENSURING THAT THOSE WHO ARE RE- TRAINED GET THE JOBS THEY HAVE BEEN RE-TRAINED FOR.

MR MAN SAI-CHEONG:

IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE RATHER PLEASED ABOUT THE MOST RECENT DB ELECTIONS AND STARTING FROM NOW WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE FLECTED FAIRLY ON TO THESE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCILS OR BODIES. WILL YOU CONSIDER TAKING ONE STEP FURTHER, THAT IS, WILL YOU OPEN UP OTHER STATUTORY BODIES, FOR EXAMPLE THE HONG KONG ARTS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY ELECTING MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL SO THAT THEY WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE? IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THAT CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY NOT? DOES IT MEAN THAT YOU WILL NOT TAKE THAT EXTRA STEP IF YOU DO NOT HAVE APPROVAL FROM CHINA? BECAUSE FREEDOM OF THE ARTS IS VERY IMPORTANT, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT BUT THESE TWO FREEDOMS ARE UNDER RESTRICTION IN CHINA.

GOVERNOR:

ABOUT

THERE IS A LOT PACKED INTO THAT QUESTION THE ARTS, INCLUDING THE IMPLICATION THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCEPTABLE IN RUNNING PUBLIC BODIES, TO THE PUBLIC, ARE THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED. I THINK THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN RUNNING OR MANAGING PARTS OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR WHO AREN'T ELECTED WHO ARE WHOLLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE PUBLIC. I DON'T THINK THAT EVERY PUBLIC BODY SHOULD BE ELECTED, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TIERS OF GOVERNMENT TO WHICH THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS ACCOUNTABLE WHICH ARE AND SHOULD BE ELECTED BUT I AM NOT,

FRANKLY, AT THE MOMENT AND IT IS NOT BECAUSE ANYBODY HAS TOLD ME WHAT CHINA'S VIEW IS ON THE ARTS DEVELOPMENT BOARD, I'M NOT THAT CHINA HAS EXPRESSED A VIEW ON THAT ILLUSTRIOUS BODY I DON'T THINK THAT IT MAKES VERY MUCH SENSE TO EXTEND THE DEMOCRATISATION HONG KONG BEYOND THE LIMITS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY SKETCHED OUT.

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SURE

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/I DON'T