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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1982
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+LEAVING ASIDE ARGUMENTS AS TO WHETHER GOVERNMENT LEADS OR FOLLOWS THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS NOT OVERPAID, THE FACT IS THAT IT IS WELL PAID – PARTICULARLY WHEN THE VALUE OF VARIOUS ALLOWANCES AND FRINGE BENEFITS IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT,+ HE NOTED.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE CURRENT STATE OF OUR ECONOMY WOULD INHIBIT MOST OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR FROM GIVING ANY SIGNIFICANT SALARY OR WAGE INCREASES IN THE COMING YEAR DESPITE THE CONTINUING INCREASE IN THE COST OF LIVING.
AND THE STATE OF THE PUBLIC FINANCES MAKES IT CLEAR THAT GOVERNMENT IS IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, HE ADDED.
+WHILE IT IS PERHAPS WISHFUL THINKING TO EXPECT CIVIL SERVICE PAY TO BE FROZEN AT ITS EXISTING LEVEL, IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES ANY INCREASE NEXT YEAR BEYOND A LOW SINGLE DIGIT PERCENTAGE WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY AND TO AVOID EXPECTATIONS BEING BUILT UP IT WOULD BE WISE TO SAY SO NOW, HE SAID. MR BROWN WENT ON TO POINT OUT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BE MADE AWARE OF GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS PRIOR TO GIVING CONSIDERATION TO ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE SALARIES AND WAGES IT NORMALLY REVIEWED AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CALENDAR YEAR.
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PUBLIC URGED TO IGNORE RUMOURS
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THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN CALLED ON THE PUBLIC TO IGNORE ONE-SIDED CLAIMS AND RUMOURS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
HE SAID THE ONLY TRUE INFORMATION ON OUR FUTURE WILL BE THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE FROM TIME TO TIME ARISING FROM THE OFFICIAL SINO-BRITISH TALKS.
MR CHAN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT HE HAS WATCHED WITH CONCERN THE COUNT-DOWN OF CONFIDENCE REFLECTED BY THE DECLINE OF THE SHARE INDICES AND THE STEEP DROP OF THE HONG KONG DOLLAR.
HE POINTED OUT THAT TOO OFTEN, SENSATIONAL POINTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED TO THE DETRIMENT OF CONFIDENCE WHILE FAVOURABLE POINTS ARE NOT GIVEN THE SAME TREATMENT OR ARE EVEN IGNORED COMPLETELY.
+TRAVELLERS' TALES, WITHOUT IDENTIFIABLE SOURCES, WERE QUOTED
AS IN THE DAYS WHEN THE BAMBOO CURTAIN WAS DRAWN.
+THE AVERAGE MAN IN THE STREET IN HONG KONG MAY BE A GOOD MONEY-MAKER BUT IS NOT SO GOOD IN POLITICAL ANALYSIS, AND IT IS UP TO THE MEDIA AND THE INTELLIGENSIA TO PROVIDE AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS THEREBY RESTORING CONFIDENCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
+OTHERWISE OUR PEOPLE MAY WELL TALK THEMSELVES INTO A CRISIS,+ HE WARNED.
HE STATED THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE NO CAUSE FOR ALARM IF THEY TRY TO LOOK AT THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THINGS:-
* ALL THREE PARTIES - CHINA, BRITAIN AND HONG KONG
HAVE A MUTUAL INTEREST IN KEEPING HONG KONG STABLE AND PROSPEROUS.
/ BOTH CHINA