XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

1

CHIEF SECRETARY IN LEGCO

MEMBERS'

THE HON MRS FOLLOWING IS THE REPLY BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY,

RESPONSES TO THE ANSON CHAN, ΤΟ LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS AT THE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

MR PRESIDENT,

THE

AND

DURING KONG AS HON MEMBERS KNOW, I WAS AWAY FROM HONG DEBATE LAST WEEK. IT WAS THEREFORE THROUGH THE PRESS CUTTINGS

MEMBERS' SUMMARIES SENT TO ME IN THE U.S. THAT I FIRST LEARNT OF HON

THEY MADE DEPRESSING RESPONSES TO THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS. ENOUGH READING. ON ARRIVAL BACK IN HONG KONG LAST WEEKEND, I HAD THE I MUST CONFESS OPPORTUNITY OF READING MEMBERS' SPEECHES FOR MYSELF. THAT THEY DID LITTLE TO LIFT MY SPIRIT,

IN AGREEMENT THEY FIND

THE

AT

ANYONE

IT IS

PERHAPS NOT EVERY DAY THAT I FIND MYSELF WITH MISS EMILY LAU AND MR. ANDREW WONG, NOR INDEED THAT

BUT I ENTIRELY ENDORSE THEMSELVES IN AGREEMENT WITH EACH OTHER. GENERAL REMARKS THAT THEY MADE ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS THE BEGINNING OF THEIR SPEECHES. INDEED, I WOULD GO FURTHER. SITTING THROUGH THE TWO LONG DAYS OF DEBATE LAST WEEK WOULD HAVE FOUND CRITICISMS IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THE GENERALLY UNCONSTRUCTIVE

WAY то THAT THEY HEARD FOR SO MUCH OF THE TIME RELATED IN ANY

MANY MEMBERS CRITICISED ADDRESS THAT WE LISTENED TO 3 WEEKS AGO.

I CAN ONLY SAY GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS AS LACKING IDEAS AND VISION. THAT CRITICISM SEEMS BEST DIRECTED ELSEWHERE IN THIS DEBATE.

TO

THE

THE

THAT

IT

OF

BUT

AS MY COLLEAGUES

MR PRESIDENT, I KNOW THAT MOST MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL FIND

THEMSELVES

THE IN SEE

ROLE AND MORE COMFORTABLE EASIER

THAT IS OF COURSE THEIR RIGHT. OPPOSITION TO THE ADMINISTRATION. I DO NOT THINK THAT IT NECESSARILY FOLLOWS THAT THEY MUST DEVOTE THEIR IT IS SURELY FAR MORE ENTIRE TIME TO CRITICISING THE GOVERNMENT.

TO

IF ONLY

THAT THE ACKNOWLEDGE,

OCCASIONALLY, STATESMANLIKE ADMINISTRATION IS CAPABLE OF DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. WILL DEMONSTRATE THIS AFTERNOON, THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS DID PUT IT DID ADDRESS THE FORWARD CLEAR

LONG-TERM SOCIAL POLICIES, AND CONCERNS THAT MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE EXPRESSED IN THE PAST WITH IT DID MAKE POSITIVE PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVING COOPERATION CHINESE SIDE. AND THE FULL RANGE OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES WERE SET IN DETAIL IN THE POLICY COMMITMENTS, A POINT ACKNOWLEDGED BY VERY MEMBERS. I COMMEND THE POLICY COMMITMENTS TO THOSE HON, MEMBERS HAVE NOT YET HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THEM.

KONG KONG

AND

THE

OUT

FEW

WHO

BUT I

MAKR

THE

U.S.

HONG

HONG

MANY

HONG KONG,

HAVE

I MAKE THESE REMARKS MORE IN SORROW THAN IN ANGER. THEM FOR TWO PARTICULAR REASONS. AS I HAVE SAID, I WAS IN

I WAS THERE TO PROMOTE WHEN THE DEBATE TOOK PLACE LAST WEEK.

TOGETHER WITH OTHER COLLEAGUES AND LEADING MEMBERS OF THE

BEST EFFORTS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WE ALL PUT IN OUR PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO KNOW LITTLE ABOUT DOUBTS ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO PROSPER AS WE HAVE DONE IN THE THE PAST. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR TASK WAS NOT MADE ANY EASIER BY

THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY BARRAGE OF CRITICISMS THAT MEMBERS AIMED AT

CRITICISE ADDRESS. J DO NOT DISPUTE FOR ONE MOMENT MEMBERS' RIGHT TO

ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW THE

BUT I HOPE MEMBERS WILL ADMINISTRATION, IMPORTANT CONFIDENCE IS TO THE FUTURE OF THIS SMALL TERRITORY. THAT CONFIDENCE CANNOT BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

AND VULNERABLE

/MY SECOND)