THE general consensus is that it was a thoroughly boring Budget - but departing Financial Secretary Sir Hamish Macleod seems perfectly happy for his farewell address to be remembered that way.
'A financial secretary is not some sort of circus performer,' he reflected yesterday in the spacious fifth-floor office that he has only a few more months to enjoy before retiring to Britain in August.
'We have to produce the Budget that suits economic conditions as well as what the community desires, rather than necessarily producing excitement every year.' Sir Hamish, who came into the job four years ago asserting it was no sin to be considered boring, will depart as convinced as ever of the merits of being grey - even if occasionally this has invited less than flattering comparisons with British Prime Minister John Major.
The Financial Secretary sees this as providing a welcome degree of predictability in the run-up to 1997 and all the uncertainties the transition will bring with it.
If the price of that is being seen as dull, then it is apparently one Sir Hamish deems worth paying. 'In these circumstances, I think people here and overseas are genuinely reassured if they see a conservative policy, no radical changes in tax policy, and very good reserves,' he said.
'I think people would have been worried if I started lashing the money out in the form of tax concessions or, even worse, breaching the barrier and putting spending up.' It also makes his job much simpler. Sir Hamish admitted that last week's Budget was by far the easiest of the four he has presented. That is partly because he did not have 'to do anything controversial' this year, but perhaps also because attention is beginning to shift towards his successor, Secretary for the Treasury Donald Tsang Yam-kuen. Mr Tsang's appointment is expected to be announced this week.
