XN000022-1995-07-13 — Page 10

9.

Governor: Well, one way of curing it is for politicians to be reminded of what they've said in the past. If one politician who was eloquent yesterday was here today I would've reminded him of what he said about acts of state in 1988, but when I was a Member of the House of Commons at Westminster there were two, not rules but two pieces of etiquette that one normally followed. The first was if you'd taken a vigorous part in a debate, you turned up subsequently to hear the reply and the second was that if somebody wasn't present you didn't criticise them too vigorously. So I'll at least follow my part of the bargain in commenting on the Honourable Member's answer on politicians amnesia.

There's something else which politicians occasionally do. Again I recall when I first became a Member of Parliament there was a man who used to stand outside the tube station at Westminster bearing a sandwich board saying the world is going to end next year. Now I regarded that always as a manifestation of freedom of speech but I didn't regard it as being a prediction which was likely to come true and indeed when I left the House of Commons 14 years later, he was still there and the world still hadn't ended. I don't think that sort of gloomster soundbite approach to politics is very helpful. I don't think it's very helpful to Hong Kong though it does fill up the airwaves, I agree. But amnesia, I repeat, is I think best treated by remembering what one has said in the past. You, of course, sensibly sometimes have to adjust your position. Times change and that sometimes requires one to change with the times and to explain why you've done so.

Mr Szeto Wah (through interpreter): Mr Governor, you said we have to remind those who are suffering from amnesia of what they have said. What do you think you have to remind me of what I have said in the past do you think Governor?

Governor: I wasn't referring to the Honourable Member who is here and I recall much that the Honourable Member has said, not least about parrots, with interest and occasionally, when he's being at his most witty, amusement as well. I can assure the Honourable Member that I wasn't accusing him of having forgotten something he'd said in the past. I'm sure he never does that having been a distinguished head teacher in the past.

Dr Conrad Lam (through interpreter): Mr Governor, I'm sure that the Governor and myself have the same conviction that the Government officials sitting on your right have been making a tremendous contribution to Hong Kong and many people hope that they would be able to continue to serve the people of Hong Kong after 1997. Perhaps Mr Patten might have heard the saying that 'a new broom will sweep the whole thing clean'. These officials have been working for you for so long and there are officials who would like to continue to serve the people of Hong Kong after 1997. What have you done to help them achieve these aspirations on their part? In the coming two years what are you going to do to help them achieve this particular aspiration to serve the people of Hong Kong?

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