XN000022-1996-02-06 — Page 2

Transcript of the Governor's media session

Following is the transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, after attending a youth forum organised by RTHK this (Tuesday) afternoon:

Question: (on the Yunnan earthquake)

Governor: I know that everyone in Hong Kong has been deeply disturbed by the reports about the earthquake and its aftermath. In a typically generous way, people in Hong Kong are responding with charity helping the Red Cross, Oxfam and other organisations which are involved in dealing with the earthquake. We've already, as you know, announced that we'll be contributing from the Government's disaster fund. I think that's what the community would want us to do. It's important to get one's help in quickly, but obviously if more is required later on, we'll want to be as generous as possible. So I just want to repeat that Hong Kong will on this occasion, I know, show itself to be as generous as it has been on previous ones. All our thoughts and prayers go to those who have suffered bereavement or suffered other sorts of loss on this terrible natural disaster.

Question: (on MPF)

Governor: I think the Secretary for Financial Services has made the position absolutely clear on the MPF. If the Legislative Council gives it the thumbs down, then there's nothing more the Government can do for the time being. We'll have to wait until wiser thoughts prevail. But nobody should be under any illusion about where the responsibility for that lies. In the last year -- or the last years we've seen legislators give their thumbs down to a pension scheme. So we introduced in good faith an MPF. I very much hope that scheme will be launched properly. It's in the interests of Hong Kong. It's in the interests of the elderly today and the elderly tomorrow in Hong Kong. I didn't say any of that in a provocative or bitter way. It's just a statement of fact.