20
to provide a legal framework within which responsible
trading can take place.
33.
Hong Kong's free enterprise system has
served its people well: the Government has certainly
played its part in bringing this about and will
continue to do so in the future. However, it is one
thing to provide the framework within which economic
development can proceed; it is another to achieve
economic success. The Government can foster, but cannot
underwrite economic growth. The fact is that Hong Kong's
prosperity today is largely due to the determination.
of the community to make the free enterprise system
work and I have no doubt that this determination will be
a feature of the Hong Kong of tomorrow.