TRIBUTE TO LORD WILSON
- Lord Wilson has steered Hong Kong without standing skill and dedication through a more than usually interesting five
years. For example:
The stockmarket crash of 1987 was a difficult time. But
the Hang Seng is now riding high: and more than that,
Hong Kong now has modern and well-regulated markets;
The Vietnamese migrant problem was a real crisis
requiring both short term improvisation and longer term
planning. More than 34,000 arrived in 1989 alone. Now we are down to a handful of arrivals and a vigorous programme
of returns;
- Tiananmen was a terrible shock for Hong Kong. But under Lord Wilson's leadership, Hong Kong came through, confidence has returned, and cooperation with China is
improving again.
We should not neglect the changes in Hong Kong which have been going at the same time as these crises. The expansion of further education and the opening of the third
university. The public housing programme (more than 200,000
new apartments built since Lord Wilson's arrival). Health:
number of hospital beds almost doubled in the same period.
In short, Hong Kong is a confident, economically strong, and increasingly caring society. Lord and Lady Wilson's contribution has been enormous. They will leave great
affection behind them.
BE3AAG/1
JRB