Your Excellency,
SPEECH BY HON. Q. W. LEE, CBE, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 30.3.77
JP
A
HANSARD COPY
Dend
Day Sevir
If comments which we hear from vocal members of the
community can be taken as a measure of public opinion, there is
no doubt that the people of Hong Kong have found the 1977/78 Budget
generally satisfactory.
As part of our homework for the October and March debates
in this Council, the Unofficial Members are in the habit of inviting
some editors and representatives of the local press to meet us so
that we can have the benefit of their views. This Council may be
interested to know that a certain prominent editor, who in the past
has usually proved himself a ready and even enthusiastic critic of
the Government, opened with the remark that this year's Budget was
an excellent one. Indeed, he added ironically that, prone as
journalists are to criticize, he found it difficult to be critical
of something which was excellent. His feelings seemed to have been
shared by most of those present at the meetings, although they did
contribute, as usual, some very constructive comments for which we
are grateful.
The features of this year's Budget are obvious. Increased
appropriations for Government services are recommended in all major
fields on the one hand, and the tax burden for the middle and lower
income groups is reduced on the other. These features reflect the
efficient way in which the Budget was prepared. Its construction is
based on a practical system evolved by the Finance Branch the
Five Year Forecast of Revenue and Expenditure and follows certain
budgetary guidelines developed by the Financial Secretary. These
guidelines, when looked at closely, are eminently appropriate to
Hong Kong because they have regard for the expected realities of our
economic and financial circumstances.
Over the past few months concern has every now and then
been expressed in various quarters over the influence of some of
cur critics, both here and abroad, who feel that we are either not
doing enough for our own social development or that what we are doing is
not being done in the right way. In fact the same concern was again
expressed at the press meetings I have just mentioned. When it was first brought up in this Council by Unofficial Members in October
last year, the Chief Secretary said and here I quote: "Hong Kong
could not and should not close our ears to suggestions and criticisms
from elsewhere. In particular we are, by reason of our constitutional
status, obliged to pay heed to the views of those who are responsible
/ p. 2