WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1982
19
POSITIVE THINKING ON FUTURE OF HK URGED
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THERE OUGHT TO BE A GREAT FUTURE FOR HONG KONG AND PEOPLE HERE SHOULD THEREFORE START THINKING POSITIVELY AND CAST THEIR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN A MATERIAL AND REALISTIC WAY, THE HON JOHN SWAINE SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR SWAINE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THE CONFIDENCE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED IN THE MOST PRACTICAL WAY BY THE MASSIVE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE AND WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO BE MADE HERE, AS SET OUT IN THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.
+THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL GET THE FUTURE THEY DESERVE MAKE SURE IT IS ONE OF CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY,✦ HE SAID.
REFERRING TO THE RECENT TALKS BETWEEN THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP, MR SWAINE SAID THE IMMEDIATE OUTCOME OF THESE TALKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOMED WITH GUARDED OPTIMISM, HAVING REGARD TO THE JOINT STATEMENT DECLARING THE COMMON AIM OF THE TWO SIDES.
+ INSTEAD, THERE HAS BEEN A PERVASIVE SENSE OF GLOOM, WITH THE STOCK MARKET RUNNING ITS ERRATIC AND DOWNWARD COURSE,
+THIS IS OF COURSE MOST UNFORTUNATE AND I CANNOT HELP BUT THINK THAT, HAD THERE BEEN LESS SENSATIONAL AND MORE RESPONSIBLE REPORTING, PUBLIC REACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE POSITIVE.+
MR SWAINE SAID THE DANGER IS THAT PEOPLE HERE WILL WORRY THEMSELVES INTO A CRISIS.
HE ADDED THAT IT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE TALKS NOW UNDER WAY THAT CONFIDENTIALITY SHOULD BE PRESERVED, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT INHIBIT AN EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR THE PRIME MINISTER IN THE BASIC ASSUMPTIONS WITH WHICH SHE BEGAN THE TALKS.
+ IT IS EASY TO SPEAK OF MAINTENANCE OF THE STATUS QUO BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN REAL TERMS IN ORDER THAT THE COMMON AIM OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY BE MAINTAINED?+ HE ASKED.
+FIRST AND FOREMOST IN MY VIEW, HE WENT ON, IS THE CONTINUATION OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. AS A CONCOMITANT, THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW AS WE KNOW IT MUST CONTINUE.+
MR SWAINE SAID CHANGE MUST COME BY EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS, NOT THROUGH HAVING IT THRUST UPON US.
NO DOUBT IN THE COURSE OF TIME CHANGES WILL COME ABOUT, BUT OUR BASIC INSTITUTIONS MUST REMAIN. WITHOUT THESE, FEAR THAT THE COMMON AIM WILL NOT BE CAPABLE OF ATTAINMENT. +
/ON HONG
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