XN000022-1996-11-21 — Page 18

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Mr Tsang Kin-shing (in Chinese): So the Governor said that Madame Shelley Lau did a lot of service for the fire victims, but that was her job. However, what she said and what she advocated was that the appointed members were wealthy and I'm really worried that after 1997, only wealthy people can be members. Now you have put together an electoral package that is based on one person, one vote. However, one of your subordinates is advocating that. Is it that you are losing power and your subordinates are not listening to you anymore and you cannot direct them anymore? And is it that your subordinates are trying to move closer to the new sovereign power?

Governor: Well, I can't think that if one was trying to move closer to the new sovereign power you would make speeches extolling the democratic credentials of billionaires and millionaires. How would that move you closer to the future sovereign power?

To be serious, I haven't seen Shelley Lau's speech. If she was commending the work that, in the past, was done by many appointed members of district boards then I'd join her in that. If she was commending the work done by appointed members of municipal councils, I would commend her in that. But I'm sure, like me, she recognises the important developments in grassroot democracy which have taken place in the last few years. And as for the suggestion that she was only doing her job, well she was doing her job in a sense, but she happens to be one of those people who does her job 25 hours a day and I'm extremely proud to have her in my team and any Chief Executive after 1997, who has a few Shelley Laus in his team will be equally lucky.

Mr Liu Sing-lee (in Chinese): Mr President, on dangerous slopes, I know the Government has some statistics, so my question is: does the Government have any statistics to show for multi-storey buildings like the Garley Building for instance? Do you have any statistics on such dangerous buildings like the Garley Building or buildings even more dangerous than Garley? Do you have some statistics of this sort so that in future when a bill is passed into law you will be able to target these buildings in your action plan?

Governor: I think, and I believe it is fairly fundamental to the bill, we have statistics and information about the age of buildings and that will help us bring the provisions of the bill into operation in sequence. But I do not think we have comparable statistics to the ones we have on dangerous slopes. But I will look at that and see first of all whether I am right. If not, I will let the honourable gentleman know. Secondly, if I am right I will see whether there is anything we should do about it.