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In response to media enquiries, the Senior Special Assistant to the Chief Executive, Mr Andrew Lo, issued the following statement today (July 20) :

"I have been in my current post since July 1997. Part of my responsibilities is to liaise with people from all walks of life to solicit their views on Government policies. In the past three years, I have met with people from various sectors of the community. They have been invited to express opinions on various social issues such as the economy, livelihood and employment. The opinions expressed reflect a wide range of viewpoints, which are helpful to the Chief Executive in considering public policies on different issues.

I have all along discussed these issues with my contacts with an open mind. I have not interfered with the work of other people, and in fact it is not possible for me to do so. I firmly believe that in an open society, rational and objective discussions and exchanges should be encouraged. It is also essential for the Government to consider different viewpoints in the process of formulating policies."

End/Thursday, July 20, 2000

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