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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1983
HE URGED THAT PROJECTS IN THE MEDICAL, REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD SHOULD PROCEED AS PLANNED FOR THESE NOT ONLY AFFECT THE WELL BEING OF LARGE SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY BUT ARE THE STUFF THAT DEMONSTRATES A CARING AND COMPASSIONATE GOVERNMENT+.
+1 DO NOT ADVOCATE RECKLESS SPENDING BUT I DO ASK THAT IN THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS, WE GET OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT, OR AS NEARLY RIGHT AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT WE AVOID A STOP-GO' APPROACH IN PLANNING FOR PURPOSE BUILT FACILITIES.+
DR FANG ALSO TOUCHED ON THE PROPOSED SEPARATE TAXATION
FOR MARRIED WOMEN.
WHILE WELCOMING THE MOVE TO GRANT MARRIED WOMEN THEIR OWN LEGAL IDENTITY, HE DOUBTED WHETHER THEY WOULD OPT VOLUNTARILY FOR JOINT TAX RETURNS AND ACCEPT A LIABILITY TO PAY TAX WHERE THERE WAS NO SUCH LIABILITY AT PRESENT.
+NOTWITHSTANDING THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S STATEMENT THAT HE CANNOT SEE SEPARATE TAXATION AS RIGHT FOR THIS COMMUNITY, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT HAVING CONCEDED THE SOCIAL PRINCIPLE, THIS MUST COME SOONER OR LATER.
+PERHAPS THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS POSSIBILITY WHEN THE ECONOMY IMPROVES.+
ON THE TRAINING OF CIVIL SERVANTS, DR FANG SAID A NATURAL DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS MEETING THIS END WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A +COMMAND AND MANAGEMENT COURSE+ LOCALLY, AS REVEALED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY DURING THE LAST BUDGET DEBATE.
HOWEVER, HE THOUGHT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD ESTABLISH AN ASIAN MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, AIMED AT FULFILLING THE SAME FUNCTIONS OF THE HENLEY MANAGEMENT COLLEGE IN EUROPE AND HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL IN AMERICA.
DOMESTICALLY, HE EXPLAINED, THE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CATER FOR THE TRAINING NEEDS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE MANAGEMENT TRAINING TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
EXTERNALLY, AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED TRAINING INSTITUTION WOULD ENHANCE HONG KONG'S STATUS AS AN EDUCATIONAL CENTRE, BALANCING NICELY WITH OUR OTHER IMAGE PROJECTED BY OUR COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL SUCCESS, HE SAID.
+WITH OUR COSMOPOLITAN OUTLOOK AND ADVANCE SUPPORT FACILITIES, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTRACT TRAINEES FROM MANY COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, INCLUDING CHINA WHICH SHOULD REQUIRE A LARGE CADRE OF TRAINED MANAGERS FOR THE MODERNISATION PROGRAMMES.
+ THE BENEFITS TO OUR ECONOMY FROM THIS CONSTANT FLOW OF TRAINEES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ARE OBVIOUS.
*THEY ARE WHAT WE NORMALLY CALL INVISIBLE' GAINS, + HE SAID.