Governor Chris Patten yesterday denied he was leading a lame-duck administration with nothing to do in the run-up to the handover.
'That familiar old pet, the lame duck, has come quacking out of the house of political cliches,' Mr Patten said.
Although his term of office would end at the end of June, he said that did not mean there was nothing left to do.
In RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong, the territory's 28th and last governor spelled out the various tasks which would keep him and his administration busy for the next 10 months.
They included governing Hong Kong well, trying to complete his five-year agenda of change and renewal, completing the legislative programme and continuing to speak up for the territory.
Mr Patten said he wanted to ensure all laws were in line with international covenants and the Bill of Rights.