XN000022-1995-01-12 — Page 6

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Question: Do you know beforehand that Jardines would have made such a statement?

Governor: No.

Question: Referring to the Old Age Pensions Scheme, will the government allow a short-lived one that fails to straddle 1997 ?

Governor: We are still considering the submissions that we've received in response to our discussion document. And I've answered quite a lot of questions at length about this before Christmas in the Legislative Council and I haven't got anything additional to say.

Question: As there are a number of anti-triad operations in Yau Ma Tei, what do you think? How serious is the problem?

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Governor: I want to say straight away that I think the whole community will want to congratulate the Police on the very vigorous measures they've taken recently in relation to triads. There's been as you know another operation today and I think even as we speak the Police are holding a press conference about it. The Police have our complete support in what they are doing to try to break organised crime. In Hong Kong, we have, without being complacent, we have pretty good crime figures. Any crime is bad. But the figures in Hong Kong in comparison with other places in the region or other places beyond are really pretty satisfactory. But there are areas where we are right to be worried. One of them which I've mentioned on many occasions is in the area of drug abuse and another is organised crime. We must continue to crusade as vigorously and actively as possible against the organised crime. I discussed a number of times with our excellent Commissioner of Police and I'm delighted that the Police have given it so much priority. Last one.

Question: Regarding the close down of Wah Kiu Yat Po, it is the second paper closing down within two months. So are you optimistic of the future prospects of Hong Kong media?