Sohmen:
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MR. SOHMEN:
Sir, after the Budget speech, various
tax experts reportedly criticised the Budget as lacking a central theme or as being a public relations exercise. Others complained that the Financial Secretary's projections were too prudent and that his quest for the possible broadening of the tax base were unnecessary or premature. The professionals seemingly always want something that is big on theory and drama but not necessarily practical or productive, and we are lucky in Hong Kong not to have to go in for testing too many theories.
He gets
He
Sir, it is not easy to be Financial Secretary.
呆 damned if he does, and he gets damned if he doeshot. even gets blamed for things over which he has little control or no control, like a global investor panic and its aftermath. He is accused of not having the staff to deal with all crises, but is supposed to keep the size of the Civil Service in check at all times. He is criticised
for departing from the traditional non-interventionist
22 policies, but in the same breath is accused of not providing
enough incentive for industrial investment and scientific
development. Members' speeches are no exception to the
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Everybody is always in favour of general economy and particular expenditure, But then we are now supposed to be politicians, those famous animals who can sit on a fence with both ears to the ground. It is surprising
that we still find people willing to shoulder the burden
of having to carry the responsibility of making major financial decisions often in a hurry and under pressure and at the constant risk of being told by the wise
commentators after the event that other alternatives
could have been pursued and might have been better. 35 Nobody is perfect but at least we should be prepared to 36 accept effort, dedication, and good intention.
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I would
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