WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1978
+
23
REFERRING TO THE GOVERNIEPT'S PROPOSALS TO BRING IN THREE YEARS FREE AND COMPULSORY SECONDARY EDUCATION, MR. BREMRIDGE SAID THERE HAS LEEN A CLEAR-CUT AND HONEST DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BOTH AMONG THE UNOFFICIALS OF THE COUNCIL AND OUTSIDE.
HE HIMSELF DELIEVED THAT A MUF REASONABLE BASE EDUCATION, SAY NINE YEARS,+ HUST LE MADE COMPULSORY, AND THUS FREE, ON THE GROUNDS THAT OUTSIDE GENERAL TAXATION IT IS QUITE UNFAIR TO COMPEL A MAN TO SPEND MONEY.+
THERE ARE HOWEVER THOSE WHO BELIEVE, IN THE HONG KONG CONTEXT THAT WHILE SUFFICIENT EDUCATION SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE AND INDEED BE COMPULSORY, IT SHOULD NOT BE FREE TO THE EXTENT THAT THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT WHOLLY OR IN PART SHOULD DO So.
THIS WOULD RELEASE SOME TAXPAYERS' MONEY FOR OTHER PRIORITIES, BUT, MR. BREMRIDGE POINTED OUT, WOULD INVOLVE ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS.
HE ADDED THAT EVERY ADVANCED WESTERN COUNTRY AND NEARLY ALL OUR EASTERN NEIGHBOURS NOW SUPPLY FREE EDUCATION AT LEAST TO THE EXTENT OF NINE YEARS COMPULSORY SCHOOLING, DISSUADING THE GOVERNMENT FROM ITS RECENT POLICY WOULD CERTAINLY NOT ASSIST OUR IMAGE OVERSEAS. BESIDES, THE ARGUMENT FOR MEANS-TESTED SECONDARY EDUCATION COULD APPLY TO PRINARY EDUCATION.
HE SAID HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN HUMAN RIGHTS PER SE BUT DOES BELIEVE THAT AN ADEQUATE FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION IS A CONCOMITANT OF ANY CIVILISED SOCIETY.
+1 DO NOT PRECLUDE THE PARALLEL AVAILABILITY OF SOME INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS WHOSE COSTS ARE COVERED EY FEES. BUT AT LEAST NO PARENT SHOULD BE FORCED TO PAY SCHOOL FEES BECAUSE ADEQUATE FREE EDUCATION IS NOT OTHER.ISE AVAILABLE,+ HE SAID.
MR. BREMRIDGE WELCOMED THE DRIVE TO INCREASE U.K. EXPORTS TO HONG KONG, WHICH ROSE BY 32 PER CENT IN 1977, AND HOPED THAT THE RISING TREND WILL CONTINUE.
THIS IS BECAUSE, HE SAID, V.K. IMPORTS REPRESENT GOOD VALUE FOR MANY, BECAUSE HE BELIEVES VERY STRONGLY IN BILATERAL TRADE, BECAUSE THIS RELIEVES WORRYITC UTEMPLOYMENT IN U.K. AND BECAUSE THIS UNDERLINES HONG KONG'S AND BRITAIN'S MUTUAL RELATIONSHIP.
HE POINTED OUT THAT U.K. EXPORTS TO HONG KONG ARE NOW OF THE SAME ORDER AS THOSE TO INDIA AND EXCEEDS THE TOTAL TO INDONESIA, THAILAND, AND THE PHILIPPINES. JAPAN WITH 30 TIMES OUR POPULATION TOOK 469 MILLION POUND STERLING HILE WE TOOK OVER 270 MILLION: POUND STERLING WORTH OF U.K. IMPORTS LAST YEAR.
TURNING TO THE NEED FOR ZUILDING A SECOND AIRPORT, MR. BREMRIDGE SAID IT 13 PERFECTLY CLEAR TO ANYONE WHO CAN SENSE THE VARIOUS NUANCES THAT A DECISION FOR GOVERN ENT IS FRAUGHT WITH SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES.
CONSEQUENTLY HE SAID, E TYRES TO CRITICISI BUT HE ZELIEVES THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE THE FACTS IDELY KNOWN, FOR IT IS CLEAR THAT IN THE LATER 19005, ..ITH FULL UTILISATION OF THE SINGLE RUNWAY AT KAI TAK, OUR TOURIST GFCWTH WILL HALT AND TRIS HAS FAIRLY WIDE RANGING ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS.