XN000022-1996-10-04 — Page 12

- 10.

First of all, the point you made about estate management, I'd like to look into that in some detail. There are, of course, owners rights in relation to estate management companies and you talked in particular about the problem of caretakers and security. I must say that we legislated a couple of years ago on caretakers, on age for example, because there were so many concerns being expressed to us about some inadequate caretakers. I'm sure most caretakers do an absolutely splendid job but there were some complaints about inadequacies in the system and there was quite a lot of pressure, not least in the Legislative Council, for us to legislate on the subject. But I'll look at your overall question about the relationship between the owners and an estate and the estate management company.

Incidentally, in the Housing Authority they're taking some quite radical measures to try to improve estate management and they will shortly be issuing a charter which will set out for tenants both what their rights are and in addition, what their obligations are, because I think a good and well managed estate needs people to recognise their obligations as well as their rights.

Secondly, you asked me whether there would be meetings like this in the future. I don't know whether there will be meetings exactly like this. Perhaps it's a question which members of the selection committee will, in due course, put to those who are candidates for the job of Chief Executive designate. I don't know, but what I do know is this sort of public interest in the way Hong Kong is governed, the way your money is spent, the way priorities are set in public programmes for you, this sort of interest isn't going to go away. It's part of the maturing of Hong Kong, as a caring, compassionate, responsible society and so I'm sure that at some stage in the future they'll be meetings like this.

Thirdly, you mentioned the Diaoyu Islands and the dispute. I'm sure everybody in this meeting this evening would want to offer our condolences to Mr Chan's family on his tragic death. I think his funeral is taking place this weekend.

I would just like to add one point. I know how very strongly many people feel about this particular issue and I know that there are some who feel very strongly about it who are intending to set off by boat this weekend for the islands. I do hope that they will take the very greatest care. I do hope that they will do everything possible not to put themselves or others in any physical danger, however strongly they feel about the issue in question.