CONFIDENTIAL
006722 MDHIAN 83
DEFLATED FEARS.
21.
OVERALL, THE TERRITORY ENTERS 1994 WITH A MUCH BETTER BALANCED APPRAISAL OF ITS LONGER TERM PROSPECTS. WE ARE NOW IN THAT STAGE OF TRANSITION TO 1997 WHEN THE PESSIMISTS CLAIMED THE TERRITORY WOULD FALL APART, CRIME WOULD BE RAMPANT, AND EMIGRATION WOULD BE MASSIVE. IN FACT, CRIME RATES ARE NO HIGHER THAN IN THE EARLY 1980'S. POLLS SHOW THE NUMBERS CONTEMPLATING EMIGRATION TO BE STEADY AT ABOUT 12 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION. PESSIMISTS ALSO SAID HKG WOULD BECOME A LAME DUCK AND THE CIVIL SERVICE WOULD BE DEMORALISED. POLLING EVIDENCE HOWEVER SHOWS THAT THE COMMUNITY TAKES A MORE OPTIMISTIC VIEW. CHINA REMAINS DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH BUT NO LONGER IS VIEWED AS LIFE-THREATENING. IN SHORT, THE COMMUNITY HAS GROWN TIRED OF WAITING FOR THE WORST AND HAS BEGUN ENJOYING SOMETHING BETTER.
PATTEN
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
61
MAIN
56
- HK
POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS NEWS D
NTCD
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
ADDITIONAL
5
CAOFF //MR SIBSON
NNNN
PS NO 10.
6
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL