XN000022-1996-10-03 — Page 18

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Question: Good morning Governor Patten. Clearly, all Hong Kong people will thank you for coming and reporting to us, particularly listening to our comments and complaints, if any. I hope we have a Governor after 1997 who will be caring like you, sharing like you and also listening to people's views and he should not be a puppet and afraid in the hands of the Chinese Government.

Governor: Can I first of all say that I think it is very important that, as it were, the Governor or head of the administration should make him or herself open to questioning from the men and women of Hong Kong. This is the fifth question and answer session like this I have done after one of my policy addresses. I also did a mid-year one, as it were, so I have done six. Whether I will be wanted back again is another matter but I just think it is an important part of developing the accountability of Hong Kong.

I am sure that my successor - and we will all wish my successor the very best of luck - will want to make him or herself accountable as well. I am sure that he or she will recognise the importance of being seen as Hong Kong's representative in Peking rather than the other way round. And I am also absolutely sure that the fact that my successor will be local, will be a member of this community, will be rooted in this community, will be a great asset and one on which my successor will be able to draw the whole time, both for political sustenance and in a sense moral sustenance as well. Everybody knows that at the end of my term I go back to the United Kingdom and that puts me in a different position to that which my successor will be in.

Question: Yes, but will you be able to help if there is any violation of basic rights; like you have been supporting us, will Britain support us after something happens? Where do we look first?

Governor: Yes, you can count on Britain. It was a point that the Prime Minister made very clearly when he was here in March when he said that Hong Kong wouldn't walk alone. We very much hope that there won't be any of the problems that you mention. That is my devout and strong wish. But of course Britain has a continuing moral commitment to Hong Kong because we are one of the signatories to the Joint Declaration, and it is equally the case that the whole international community will be watching what happens here with great interest we'd hope. But I am sure that people will be concerned if anything goes wrong.

Question (in Chinese): I have been in the Harmony Home and I was an abused wife and I was rather disappointed with the Policy Address because recently we have experienced a very important social problem which is the battering of wives and I don't feel that the Governor is concerned enough about this. Mr Governor, you are leaving Hong Kong very soon and this is in fact a very serious problem, so shouldn't you actually have done more?