WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1901
5
CONCERN ABOUT MAN IN THE STREET
******
THE GOVERNMENT, WHILE SETTING ITSELF THE TASK OF PROVIDING THE RIGHT KIND OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CLIMATE FOR GROWTH, MUST AT ALL TIMES CONCERN ITSELF WITH SAFEGUARDING AND PROVIDING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE YOUNG, THE WEAK, THE SICK AND THE DISADVANTAGED, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JACK CATER, SAID TODAY.
WINDING UP THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE, SIR JACK SAID A BALANCE MUST BE STRUCK BETWEEN THE PHILOSOPHY OF A FREE ECONOMY AS THE BASIS FOR ECONOMIC HEALTH AND GROWTH, AND THE NEED FOR REGULATION AND CONTROL AS THE BASIS FOR SOCIAL HEALTH AND GROWTH.
+THIS IS A DYNAMIC SITUATION AND, IN WATCHING IT CHANGE FROM DAY TO DAY, WE MUST REMAIN ALERT TO SHIFTS IN EVENTS AND IN EXPECTATIONS TO ENSURE THAT AN ACCEPTABLE BALANCE IS MAINTAINED- THAT IS, A BALANCE WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE GENERALITY OF THE COMMUNITY, AND NOT JUST TO A FEW GROUPS.+
SIR JACK SAID HE WAS CONCERNED AT THE GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR IN OUR SOCIETY.
+ DO NOT QUESTION THE APPROPRIATE REWARD OF SKILL, ABILITY OR ENTREPRENEURIAL INGENUITY, FOR THIS HAS BEEN BASIC TO HONG KONG'S SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT.
+ I AM CONCERNED THAT THE MAN AND WOMAN IN THE STREET, THE ORDINARY WORKERS ON WHOM, ULTIMATELY, HONG KONG'S FUTURE DEPENDS, ARE NOT GETTING A FAIR SHARE OF THE ECONOMIC CAKE.
+THE HEROES OF OUR ECONOMIC SUCCESS ARE NOT TO BE FOUND SOLELY IN THE BOARD-ROOMS OF CENTRAL: THEY ARE TO BE FOUND LARGELY ON THE FACTORY FLOOR, AND IN THE HOUSING ESTATES, IN TSUEN WAN,
IN WONG TAI SIN, TSZ WAN SHAN AND KWUN TONG.+
SIR JACK ALSO SAID HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE SUCCESS OF LARGE BUSINESSES SHOULD NOT BE MEASURED BY PROFITABILITY WITHOUT REGARD TO SOCIAL COST- AND THAT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE MEASURED BY THE STATE OF OUR RESERVES WITHOUT REGARD TO UNFULFILLED SOCIAL NEEDS.
+THE 'UNACCEPTABLE FACE OF CAPITALISM' MUST NEVER BE ACCEPTED OR TOLERATED JUST BECAUSE WE ARE A CAPITALIST-ORIENTED SOCIETY, AND PROUD TO BE SO, SIR JACK SAID.
+THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD ARGUE 'LET IT BE SO THAT THIS IS IN KEEPING WITH THE PHILOSOPHY OF HONG KONG THAT HONG KONG IS ALL ABOUT THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST (SOME WOULD SAY THE POWERFUL AND THE RICH) THAT LIFE HONG KONG STYLE IS ALL ABOUT ALLOWING FREE PLAY TO 'MARKET FORCES'.
+ IT IS NOT AS EASY AS THAT NOR SHOULD IT BE, + SIR JACK ADDED.
/ON RELATIONS