FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1980
+'HAVING BEEN ENDOWED MORE OR LESS COMPLETELY WITH QUALIFICATIONS AND CAPACITIES REQUISITE FOR A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER -- (I VENTURE TO SAY THIS MAN IS GOOD FOR ANY JOB I CAN THINK OF!) - AND HAVING DEVELOPED THEM WITH THE AID OF EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND CONTACTS PROVIDED BY (AND I LIKE THIS BIT) CIVILISED COMMUNITIES THE ENGINEER IS UNDER OBLIGATION TO CONSIDER THE SOCIOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC AND SPIRITUAL (AND AGAIN THERE IS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE FOR THAT HERE TONIGHT) SPIRITUAL EFFECTS OF ENGINEERING OPERATIONS AND TO AID HIS FELLOWMEN TO ADJUST WISELY THEIR MODES OF LIVING, THEIR INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENTAL PROCEDURES, AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES SO AS TO ENJOY THE GREATEST POSSIBLE BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRESS ACHIEVED THROUGH OUR ACCUMULATING KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE AND OURSELVES AS APPLIED BY ENGINEERING. THE ENGINEER'S PRINCIPAL WORK IS TO DISCOVER AND CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES OF MATERIALS AND FORCE, INCLUDING THE HUMAN, (DOES THIS PERHAPS MEAN GENETIC ENGINEERING OR SOCIAL ENGINEERING? OR SIMPLY BEING A MEMBER OF THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH) AND TO CREATE MEANS FOR UTILIZING THESE RESOURCES WITH MINIMAL COST AND WASTE AND WITH MAXIMAL RESULTS (OBVIOUSLY THE FINANCE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT IS STACKED OUT WITH ENGINEERS)."
+YOU WILL HAVE NOTED THAT ABOUT THE ONLY QUALITY NOT MENTIONED IN THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITTANICA IS MODESTY+1 OTHERWISE IT IS A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE AND DAUNTING SET OF QUALIFICATIONS. IT LEADS KE TO OBSERVE YOU ALL WITH FRESH
AND CONSIDERABLE RESPECT AND IT IS WITH MUCH MODESTY - AND SOME AWE- THAT I NOTE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOU HERE TONIGHT HAVE CLEARLY IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR A CHIEF SECRETARY. WHEN NEXT WE NEED ONE, WE KNOW WHERE TO COME.
+NOW, IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT ANY ENGINEER HERE TONIGHT
IS BASKING, HAPPILY REPLETE, IN THE SURE KNOWLEDGE
-
HE FITS THE BILL JUST NOW GIVEN A WORD OF CAUTION ESPECIALLY TO THOSE IN GOVERNMENT. WHILE ENGINEERS FORM ONE OF THE LARGEST IF NOT THE LARGEST PROFESSIONAL CONTINGENTS IN THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE AND DIRECT THE SPENDING OF MORE FUNDS THAN ANY OTHER, SHOULD THEY MAKE A MAJOR MISTAKE (WHICH MAY NOT BECOME APPARENT FOR YEARS) THE PUBLIC MAY THEREAFTER LONG SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES ... AND COULD SUFFER IRREVOCABLE DISASTER. A SOBERING THOUGHT.
+BUT TO RETURN TO THAT ALL-EMBRACING DESCRIPTION OF THAT HELLAVAN ENGINEER OF GEORGIA TECH OR THE POLY OR THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY ... YOU WILL ALSO HAVE NOTICED THAT EMPHASIS IS PLACED AGAIN AND AGAIN ON SOCIOLOGICAL NEEDS, ON THE HARNESSING OF POWER FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE THE REMINDER THAT ALL ENGINEERING IN ALL BRANCHES MUST SEEK TO SERVE PEOPLE.
+CERTAINLY I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT NONE OF US, NONE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, ARE UNAFFECTED BY THE RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR ENGINEERS. BUT HONG KONG CAN NEVER AFFORD REALLY TO SIT BACK AND ADMIRE ITS ACHIEVEMENTS FOR IN THE FACE OF THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND, NOT LEAST, DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES WE MUST CONTINUE TO FACE IN THE YEARS TO COME, WE HAVE CONSTANTLY TO MOVE FORWARD AND DEAL WITH CHALLENGES AS THEY ARISE.
/+FOR EXAMPLE,