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Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Rafael Hui, to the media after the first meeting of the Committee on Social Development and Quality of Life of the Commission on Strategic Development at the Conference Hall, New Annexe, Central Government Offices this afternoon (December 1):
Reporter: Some criticized that the discussion was too broad and it was not focused enough. What・s your view towards that?
Chief Secretary for Administration: This is the first meeting, so it is our intention to in fact encourage members to voice their individual views on the two papers that we have submitted to them a few days prior to this meeting. This is in fact intentional. Now that we have gathered their views on what the emphasis and the focus should be, the next meeting and also the following meetings, we will have more specific and definite topics, so that members can concentrate their attention on them. The focus will, therefore, automatically come much sharper.
Reporter: As a result of today・s meeting, what・s the top priority?
Chief Secretary for Administration: I think the CPU, members of Professor Lau・s team and the Secretariat will need a few more days to aggregate, to concentrate and to prioritise. But I think in really broad terms, they will concentrate on matters related to the community, the society and certain core values. That・s all I can say immediately after the meeting today. But after a few days, after we have collected and sorted the discussions and the views expressed in a more structured way, then we will have a more specific list.
Reporter: What is your aftermath of visiting all 18 District Councils? Do you think that would help the lawmakers change their views because some of them actually have listened to the CE・s speech yesterday but they said that that may provoke more people to go to the street this Sunday. So what・s your view towards that?
Chief Secretary for Administration: I can only answer the first part of your question. I think the second part has already been answered and I don・t think you really expect me to answer that one as well. Aftermath, well, I would not call it an aftermath, I would call it a very very successful conclusion. I should hope that in the course of our exchanges with almost 400 District Council members, some Legislative Council members may at least give our proposal a more objective, a more realistic, a more pragmatic and a more sympathetic consideration. We cannot tell them how to vote. In the course of my discussions with all the District Council members who incidentally include a large number of district personalities belonging to various political parties, including political parties in the pan-democratic camp. A lot of them have been working in the districts for years. A lot of them have also yearned for democracy for many many years. And some of them I would count as my old friends. I hope by our exchanges, they would at least realise the intention behind the government・s proposal is serious, sincere and realistic in achieving the ultimate aim of universal suffrage.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Thursday, December 1, 2005
Issued at HKT 20:37
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