XN000022-1997-03-05 — Page 2

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Transcript of Governor's media session.

Following is the transcript of the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten's media session after his visit to the Islands District today (Wednesday):

Governor: Don't say I don't bring you to some nice places. This is the fourth official visit I have made to the Islands District and though of course like most of you I have been to Island District on many other occasions, I am very pleased to have been able to see some of the community's activities and to discuss some of the serious issues that people face in the district. There is obviously particular concern on Lantau that people on the south of the island should be able to share in the prosperity and the creation of jobs which is taking place with the airport project on the north, and that is an issue that I will be discussing with my colleagues in government on my return.

Question: Governor, Mr Wong Siu-yee has opened the provisional legislature office this morning in (inaudible), what is your reaction?

Governor: Mr who?

Question: Mr Wong Siu-yee, he is a provisional legislator.

Governor: I've never heard of him. Perhaps he is trying to get better known.

Question: So (inaudible) Hong Kong Government?

Governor: Anybody who acts to set up an organisation in Hong Kong has to operate within the terms of the Societies Ordinance and if anybody has a complaint about how somebody is acting, they should put it to the police who will investigate.

Question: But this office is in the name of a provisional legislator.

Governor: I have never heard of him and I have never heard of his office.

Question: So do you think that his office is (inaudible)?

Governor: I haven't got the faintest idea. Since I have never heard of the man before and never heard of his office before, and since he purports to belong to an organisation which meets on occasional Saturday mornings in Shenzhen, I am not sure that I could be expected to answer any more questions about him.

Question: Now you have heard that, what action will you take?

Govemor: I have answered as much about this previously unknown person as I want

to.