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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1981

HE NOTED THAT OFFERING TO OUR YOUNG THE PROSPECT OF A DECENT FUTURE SHOULD NOT BE BEYOND EITHER OUR MEANS OR OUR INGENUITY.

+YOU, SIR, POINT IN YOUR ADDRESS TO POSSIBLE LINES OF HOPEFUL APPROACH, BUT INDICATE THAT NO POSITIVE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE ON THEIR IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS.

+ I AM HOPEFUL THAT THESE CONSIDERATIONS WILL NOT UNDULY DETER US FROM TAKING THE POSITIVE STEPS WHICH SO NEED TO BE TAKEN, SINCE I AM ENCOURAGED BY YOUR EARLIER REMARKS THAT OUR BUDGETED SURPLUS OF $7 800 MILLION WILL BE SURPASSED AND THAT, I QUOTE, 'BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS ARE NOT A PROBLEM".+

TURNING TO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVEL, DR HUANG STRESSED THAT IT NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS,

THIS COULD BE DONE, AS SUGGESTED BY THE GOVERNOR, BY STRENGTHENING CAREER COUNSELLING AND REMEDIAL TEACHING, BY WIDENING THE CURRICULUM TO PROVIDE FOR THE NON-ACADEMIC AND BY ENCOURAGING MORE LEISURE AND COMMUNITY-ORIENTED PROJECTS.

+WE MUST MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS, HE SAID. +WE MUST ALSO PROVIDE, AGAIN AS YOU SUGGEST, MORE EFFECTIVELY AND MORE CONSTRUCTIVELY FOR DISABLED AND HANDICAPPED CHILDREN. THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY REQUIRE MORE TEACHERS, MORE FACILITIES, AND WE MUST PROVIDE THEM.

+THE SURPLUS IS THERE AND, WHILE I RECOGNISE THAT WE CANNOT HAVE OUR CAKE AND EAT IT, DO EARNESTLY SUBMIT THAT IN THIS CASE WE SHOULD TAKE A GOOD BITE OF IT.+

DR HUANG ALSO TOOK THE GOVERNMENT TO TASK FOR BEING AMBIVALENT IN ITS OWN ATTITUDE ON LEISURE AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

GAMBLING IS A CASE IN POINT.

+THE ARGUMENT HAS REGULARLY BEEN PROFFERED THAT LEGAL GAMBLING OUTLETS MUST BE READILY AVAILABLE IF ILLEGAL GAMBLING IS TO BE COMBATTED.

+FOLLOWING THE SUPPOSED LOGIC OF THIS ARGUMENT WOULD WE, AS

LOUNGES TO KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM TAKING THE MORE DANGEROUS HERO IN?

I ASKED IN THIS COUNCIL SOME YEARS AGO, PUT UP LEGAL OP TUM

+WOULD WE ENCOURAGE OUR YOUNGSTERS TO SMOKE POT SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A HABIT TO LEAN ON WHICH IS LESS DANGEROUS THAN DEPENDENCE ON OTHER DRUGS?+ ASKED DR HUANG.

HE NOTED THAT GAMBLING, WHETHER LEGAL OR ILLEGAL, ALL TOO OFTEN LEADS TO DISTRACTION FROM WORK, DISHONESTY AND LOSS OF CAREER, POVERTY, UNHAPPINESS, AND FAMILY STRIFE.

HE STRESSED THAT HE DID NOT OBJECT TO GAMES OF CHANCE OR SK ILL AS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, OR TO HORSE-RACING AS SUCH.

/+WHAT I AM

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