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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1982
MISS DUNN ALSO NOTED THAT DURING THE PAST 40 YEARS, HONG KONG HAS EXPERIENCED OCCUPATION BY AN INVADER AND DESTITUTION, THE BACKWASH OF REGIONAL TURBULENCE, SURGES IN THE SIZE OF POPULATION, NATURAL DISASTERS AND A WORLD TRADING AND MONETARY SYSTEM WHICH
IS ESSENTIALLY UNSYMPATHETIC TO A SMALL AND EXPOSED ECONOMY SUCH AS HONG KONG'S.
+ INDEED, AT NO TIME IN THE LIVING MEMORY OF 80 PER CENT OF OUR POPULATION HAS HONG KONG ENJOYED A TRANQUIL ECONOMIC SETTING OR A CERTAINTY ABOUT ITS POLITICAL FUTURE.
+YET. AS A WELL-KNOWN LOCAL JOURNALIST PUT IT RECENTLY WHEN DISCUSSING OUR PREDILECTION FOR RECURRING CRISIS: 'REALISM AND PRAGMATISM HAVE ALWAYS PREVAILED IN THE END'.
+1 BELIEVE THEY WILL LIKEWISE ENSURE THAT WE DO SO AGAIN,+ SHE SAID.
SEVERANCE PAY AND STATUTORY HOLIDAYS
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THE GOVERNMENT'S DELAY IN IMPROVING THE LEGISLATION ON SEVERANCE PAY AND STATUTORY HOLIDAYS CAME UNDER ATTACK BY THE REV HON PATRICK MCGOVERN TODAY.
ALTHOUGH HE WELCOMED THE DECISION TO SET UP A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE QUESTION OF SEVERANCE PAY, FR MCGOVERN NEVERTHELESS EXPRESSED MISGIVINGS THAT A WORKING GROUP COULD, CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, BECOME A CAUSE OF DELAY.
HE NOTED THAT THERE HAD ALREADY BEEN TOO LONG A DELAY IN FINDING REMEDIES FOR THE DEFECTS IN THE PRESENT LEGISLATION AND
IN IMPROVING ITS IMPLEMENTATION.
THE LAST AMENDMENT TO THE LEGISLATION, HE SAID, WAS MADE IN 1977 AND IT WOULD SOON BE 1983.
SIX YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO WAIT FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN A MATTER WHICH AFFECTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY ARE UNEMPLOYED AND THEREFORE IN THE GREATEST NEED, HE ADDED.
+
/+ I THEREFORE