1992-09-24 10:04 COMMS OFFICE (GOVT HOUSE)
852 526 0995 P.03
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problems, the more important it is to be candid with one nother. And that is certainly my approach. We have very many serious nd substantial issues to resolve with the PRC in the next four-and-a- alf to five years and those issues will be best settled if we're onest with one another, if we're straight with one with one another, f we're direct with one another and if we try to get on with solving roblems rather than striking attitudes. So I've started as I intend
• continue.
:
One last question.
Mr Patten, as
as you mentioned you'd like
you'd like to be directly accountable to the public. Will that lessen the representation or the status of the elected members?
overnor:
T
I don't in any way see myself as competing with the mandate hich elected members themselves have. Unlike them, I haven't pounded and down stairs in blocks of flats in the New Territories; unlike hem I haven't canvassed door-to-door in Kowloon and on Hong Kong sland; I don't have, which they have, a democratic mandate from the eople of Hong Kong. So I wouldn't set myself up in any way to compete ith them. But given the fact that I'm appointed, it is particularly mportant that I demonstrate whenever I can, that I also wish to be ccountable. I've started by doing that and I intend to go on doing hat. We went a strong Government in Hong Kong and that Government ill be all the stronger if it's also accountable. Accountability oesn't undermine representative government, it makes representative overnment stronger and that is a theme which you'll hear me eveloping, I'm afraid all too frequently in the future.
:
But what happens when the parallel accountability, conflicts with each other?
overnoT:
One of the tasks of political leadership is to convince people hat the propositions that you put forward as a leader, are the right nes. And that is what
that is what a policy
a policy dialogue between Executive and the egislature amounts to. We have a strong Executive-led Government in ong Kong which is accountable to the legislature. That is the system hich I have to make work and intend to make work.
thank you all very much indeed.
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