Issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Information Services
Garden Road, 5th-8th Floors, Murray Building, Hong Kong. Tel: 2842 8777
Thursday, March 5, 1998 CONTENTS ======== 1. Transcript of CE's media session in Beijing 2. CE attends opening ceremony of NPC session 3. Transcript of remarks by Acting Chief Executive 4. Quality Education Fund starts operation 5. Tender for the inaugural issue of HKMC Notes 6. Reminder on education council nominations 7. EIA for Route 16 completed 8. Water cut in Southern District 1. Transcript of CE's media session in Beijing ******************************************* Following is the transcript of a media session by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, in Beijing this (Thursday) afternoon: Reporter: How do you feel about Li Peng's speech, particularly about Hong Kong? Mr Tung: Well, as I said earlier on that of course I am very happy to note the progress and the success the country has attained over the last five years, especially in area of economy. It's been a period of high growth and low inflation, foreign exchange reserve as well as reserve of growing product is at historic high level and these all made a very good foundation for our country's development in the 21st century. I was also delighted particularly to note about the positive comments the report made about the HKSAR's function since July 1, 1997 demonstrates the Central Government's tremendous confidence in Hong Kong people's ability to look after Hong Kong affairs. So, on the whole I am very pleased, additionally I might add that being able to know first hand the plans for the next five years and beyond is a very great help to us in Hong Kong because Hong Kong and the economy of mainland China is very closely related. End 2. CE attends opening ceremony of NPC session ****************************************** At the invitation of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, today (Thursday) attended the opening ceremony of the First Session of the Ninth National People's Congress in Beijing. Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Tung said he was encouraged by the Report on the Work of the Government delivered by Premier Li Peng at the meeting. "I am very happy to note the progress and the success our country has attained over the last five years, especially in the economy. "It has been a period of high economic growth and low inflation. Foreign exchange reserves as well as grain reserves are at historic high levels. These have helped lay a very solid foundation for our country's development in the 21st Century," he said. Mr Tung noted that the report made positive remarks about the work of the HKSAR since the reunification. He said: "The Central People's Government has expressed full confidence in the SAR Government and the ability of Hong Kong people to administer Hong Kong. This is very encouraging." Noting that the report outlined the plans of the Central People's Government's plans for the next five years and beyond, Mr Tung said that sustained growth in the country's development would bring tremendous benefits to Hong Kong. "It will also have a positive impact on the SAR's recovery from the Asian financial turmoil," he said. "This, together with our sound fundamentals, will help bring about an even brighter future for Hong Kong," he added. Mr Tung will have a working dinner tonight with the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Liao Hui; the Governor of the Guangdong Province, Mr Lu Ruihua; and his deputy, Mr Wang Qishan. Mr Tung said: "We will discuss matters concerning the establishment of a high level framework between the SAR Government and the Guangdong Provincial Government. As stated in my Policy Address, this body will study and co- ordinate major issues that concern both areas." End 3. Transcript of remarks by Acting Chief Executive *********************************************** Following is the transcript of the remarks by the Acting Chief Executive, Mrs Anson Chan, after attending the launching ceremony of the Quality Education Fund at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this (Thursday) morning: Mrs Chan: I wanted to say that as regards the recent comments by Mr Xu, in the last eight months since the transition, the Central Government has on many occasions stressed the importance of implementing one country, two systems, Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong. And everybody can see that in the last eight months since the transition this concept has indeed been faithfully implemented and faithfully observed by leaders at the centre. Of course we are delighted and honoured to be able to participate in national affairs. But those who represent Hong Kong whether in their capacity as a representative of the CPPCC or the National People's Congress have a particular responsibility to observe scrupulously the concept of one country, two systems and Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong. And it is because of this that I find it particularly regrettable that Mr Xu should have commented on the performance of Radio Hong Kong. Of course in Hong Kong we respect and we value press freedom and everybody has the freedom of expression but anything to do with the performance of the Special Administrative Region or the performance of individual departments of the Special Administrative Region Government, the place for criticising and for debate is surely in Hong Kong, not in the mainland. I am sure that this is the view of the community here. To comment on a government department in the mainland will naturally give the community here a very wrong impression that there is an attempt to invite the Central Government to interfere in the affairs of the Special Administrative Region Government. And as leaders themselves have stressed on many occasions it is crucially important to observe the one country, two systems concept. I have noticed that recently there have been different expressions about the performance of Radio Hong Kong. We welcome the community here expressing their views about how Radio Hong Kong should be performing its work. And if the community here feels that a public debate on their role is necessary then of course we would be very happy to consider different points of view and to examine the role of Radio Hong Kong in the light of those views. And I repeat: the place for criticising government here is surely in Hong Kong, not in the mainland. End 4. Quality Education Fund starts operation *************************************** The Quality Education Fund (QEF) was launched by the acting Chief Executive, Mrs Anson Chan, at a ceremony today (Thursday). At the ceremony, Mrs Chan said that basic education was the pillar of social progress and the Government all along attached great importance to its. Noting that substantial resources are devoted to this area every year, she said the financial provision for basic education would increase by more than 16 per cent over the previous year, as shown in the 1998/99 Budget. Mrs Chan also stressed that the QEF would mark a significant step forward in the Government's endeavour on the educational front. "It is aimed at encouraging the education community to take the initiative in introducing improvements and innovations to school education by providing a flexible funding mechanism with a bottom-up approach. "The QEF Steering Committee is now devising an award scheme for outstanding schools and teachers. The purpose is to give due recognition to teachers and schools with commendable performance based on a comprehensive set of equitable criteria," Mrs Chan said. The Chairman of the QEF Steering Committee, Mr Irving Koo Yee-yin, also said after the ceremony that the QEF would provide an effective channel to fund worthwhile projects to improve the quality of basic education in Hong Kong. Mr Koo envisaged that the role of the QEF Steering Committee would include advising on the strategies for making use of the QEF as a vehicle to enhance the overall quality of school education, encouraging the education sector to apply for funding to undertake innovative projects, assessing funding applications, disseminating the achievements of effective projects, and establishing channels of communication with front-line educators in promoting quality school education. Also officiating at today's launching ceremony were the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong; Chairman of the Education Commission, Professor Rosie Young; Chairman of the QEF Steering committee, Mr Irving Koo Yee-yin; and Director of Education, Mrs Helen C P Lai Yu. Around 1,500 heads of nurseries, kindergartens, primary, secondary and special schools, representatives of major school sponsoring bodies, teachers' associations, education bodies and academics attended the ceremony. The ceremony was followed by three seminars which discussed how the school sector could best utilise the QEF as a vehicle to improve school education. As guest speakers at the seminars, Professor Cheng Kai-ming, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong; Professor Chung Yu-ping, Dean of Education, Chinese University of Hong Kong; and Professor Cheng Yin-cheong, Director of Centre for Research and Development, Hong Kong Institute of Education, shared their opinions on quality school education with representatives from pre-primary and special sector, secondary schools and primary schools respectively. "Members of the Steering Committee and the participants found that the open forums provided a useful opportunity to exchange views on the operational aspects of the Fund. The QEF Secretariat will organise more workshops and seminars during the application period," Mr Koo said. Schools, education bodies, teaching professionals will be invited between March 5 and April 30 to submit applications to the QEF for funding to undertake innovative projects to promote quality school education in Hong Kong. The first batch of grants are expected to be released by the end of June 1998. "We are glad to note that the key players in the education sector have shown their support for the Quality Education Fund. We hope they will put forward innovative project ideas to benefit our students very soon," said Mr Koo. End 5. Tender for the inaugural issue of HKMC Notes ******************************************** The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (Thursday) the tender for the inaugural issue of The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited (HKMC) Notes to be held next Wednesday (March 11). An amount of HK$500 million in HKMC Notes will be offered for settlement on Thursday (March 12). The 3-year Notes, which mature on March 12, 2001, will carry interest at the fixed rate of 8% per annum payable semi-annually in arrears. Terms and conditions of the issue are described fully in the Information Memorandum. The HK$500 million HKMC Notes issued is the first tranche of the HK$20 billion HKMC Note Issuance Programme in which the HKMA acts as the arranger, custodian, agent and operator. The HKMC Notes, which are denominated in HK$50,000, will be cleared through the Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU) and will qualify as eligible securities for repo under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility operated by the HKMA. The HKMC Notes will be covered by the existing market-making arrangements for the Exchange Fund Bills and Notes, marking the third time a non-Government debt issuance programme has joined the arrangement. Under the programme, the HKMC Notes will be sold from time to time by tender to a group of Market Makers and Recognized Dealers appointed by the HKMA. Under a new short selling arrangement, Market Makers of Exchange Fund, MTRC and HKMC papers can go short in any issues of such papers provided they hold sufficient amount of other Exchange Fund, MTRC, or HKMC papers in the system to cover their short positions by entering into a repo transaction with the HKMA at the end of the day. In return, the market makers are obliged to quote two-way (bid-ask) prices during normal money market hours. Members of the public who wish to tender for the Notes may do so through any of the Market Makers or Recognized Dealers on the published list which can be obtained from the HKMA on the 30th floor, 3 Garden Road, Hong Kong (or telephone 2878 8150). Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof. THE HONG KONG MORTGAGE CORPORATION LIMITED NOTE ISSUANCE PROGRAMME TENDER INFORMATION Tender information for the first issue of The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Ltd Issuance Programme:- Issue Number : S301 Tender Date and Time : Wednesday 11 March 1998 9.30 am to 10.30 am Issue and Settlement Date : Thursday 12 March 1998 Amount on Offer : HK$500 million Maturity : Three years Maturity Date : 12 March 2001 Interest Rate : 8 per cent per annum Interest Payment Dates : 14 September 1998 12 March 1999 13 September 1999 13 March 2000 12 September 2000 12 March 2001 Tender Amount : Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof. Members of the public who wish to tender for the Notes may approach Market Makers or Recognized Dealers on the published list Other details : Please see Information Memorandum published or approach Market Makers or Recognized Dealers End 6. Reminder on education council nominations ***************************************** Schools and educational bodies are reminded to send in nominations for elections to the third term of the Council on Professional Conduct in Education before 12 noon next Tuesday (March 10). The new term of office will run from May 1998 until April 2000. All nominations should reach the Education Department before the deadline. A spokesman for the Education Department said: "Each day school may nominate a regular full-time registered teacher including school head to stand for election to the Council. "Teachers may also run for election as independent candidates if they have the support of 60 or more full- time teachers teaching in the same type of school. "Eligible educational bodies have also been invited to make nominations. Other educational organisations intending to nominate a candidate or to vote in the election of the Council should first become registered with the Hong Kong Teachers' Centre of the Education Department." The spokesman urged teachers, schools and education bodies to actively participate in the forthcoming elections and support the Council. The Council was set up in April 1994 following the recommendations in Education Commission Report No. 5. Members serve for two years. Its terms of reference are: (1) to advise the Government on measures to promote professional conduct in education; (2) to draft operational criteria defining the conduct expected of an educator and to gain widespread acceptance of these criteria among all sectors of the education community; and (3) to advise the Director of Education on cases of disputes or alleged professional misconduct involving educators. "The procedures and arrangements for the election are basically the same as those adopted in the last exercise, except minor modifications to further improve the control and effectiveness of the election process," the spokesman said. The Council has 28 seats in three categories, namely, organisation-nominated categories, teacher-nominated categories and the Director of Education nominated members. Further enquiries related to the election could be made on 2892 6302 or directed to Room 1027, 10th floor, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. End 7. EIA for Route 16 completed ************************** An environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Route 16, a strategic link between Kowloon West and Sha Tin, has just been completed and its report is now available for public inspection. The proposed route will be a dual three-lane carriageway connecting the Lai Wan Interchange on the West Kowloon Highway with Tai Wai. Upon completion, the route will help ease the traffic condition between Sha Tin and the urban area. Construction of the route will commence in 2001 for completion in 2004. The Highways Department commissioned a consultancy in March last year to carry out an investigation assignment and preliminary design for the route. As part of the assignment, an EIA was conducted. It was completed in February this year. The EIA recommends a package of noise mitigation measures comprising: * a combination of noise barriers of various heights and low noise road surfaces for both the Sha Tin and West Kowloon sections; * a reinforced earth embankment for the Sha Tin Section; and * indirect technical remedy for about 24 dwellings. A landscape and visual mitigation scheme comprising extensive planting of woodland tree and shrub species in the affected areas is also included in the assessment. The Final Report and Executive Summary of the EIA can be seen at the public reference libraries of the provisional municipal councils. Members of the public may also buy the Final Report, at $322 a copy, or obtain the Executive Summary free of charge at the Major Works Project Management Office, Highways Department, third floor, Ho Man Tin Government Offices, 88 Chung Hau Street, Ho Man Tin. End 8. Water cut in Southern District ****************************** Owing to the temporary suspension of electricity supply to Brick Hill Salt Water Pumping Station, flushing water supply to some premises in Aberdeen, Tin Wan, Shek Pai Wan and Shum Wan will be suspended from 8.30 am to 5 pm on Sunday (March 8). The suspension will affect all premises in the area bounded by Tin Wan Hill Road, Yue Kwong Road and Aberdeen Praya Road, as well as all premises along Shum Wan Road, Welfare Road and Nam Long Shan Road. End
