PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW ECONOMIC FACTS OF LIFE
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LOBO
THERE WAS NEVER A TIME SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE THE FACTS OF HONG KONG LIFE, IN PARTICULAR THE ECONOMIC FACTS OF HONG KONG LIFE, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE HON ROGER LOBO, SAID TODAY.
HE SAID HE AGREED WITH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THAT +WE ARE NOT A RICH COMMUNITY; WE GET NO SUBSIDIES AND WE CAN ONLY HAVE WHAT WE CAN PAY FOR NO FREE LUNCHES AND NO PASSENGERS.
+THESE ARE THE FACTS OF LIFE TO WHICH ALL OUR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AMBITIONS MUST BE RELATED AND GREATER EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO HAVE THEM UNDERSTOOD.+
AS IT IS, MR LOBO NOTED, PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IS CONFUSED BY RUMOUR, BY THE VAGAR IES OF THE YO-YO STOCK MARKET, AND THE ANTICS OF SPECULATORS.
IT IS HARD FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT MATTERS AND WHAT IS IRRELEVANT, HE SAID.
HE STRESSED THAT IT IS THE DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT AND ALL PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH CLEAR GUIDANCE.
BUT HE SAID: IT IS A SHAME THAT IN HIS BUDGET ADDRESS THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SHOULD HAVE HAD TO DEVOTE SO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE REGULATION OF ACTIVITIES WHICH CONTRIBUTE LITTLE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC HEALTH.
+TO ME THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HE HAD TO SAY WAS RELEGATED TO A FOOT NOTE WHICH MANY MAY HAVE MISSED ALTOGETHER.+
MR LOBO QUOTED THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AS HAVING REITERATED HIS COMMITMENT TO PRONOUNCED AND GROWING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE CHANGING ECONOMY. AND IN A FOOTNOTE, MR BREMRIDGE HAD CITED FOR EXAMPLE, VOCATIONAL, TECHNICAL AND TERTIARY EDUCATION; AN INTELLIGENT APPROACH TO RESEARCH FUNDS; INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT PROMOTION AND TRAINING SCHEME, MR LOBO SAID.
+OTHER EXAMPLES WERE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS DESIGNED TO FACILITATE DIVERSIFICATION; ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN GIVE IN TRADE RELATIONS AND TRADE FACILITATION; TRANSPORT INCLUDING ROAD, RAIL, AIRPORT AND HARBOUR; LAND FORMATION; TELECOMMUNICATION; PRODUCTION OF PUBLIC HOUSING, OVERSIGHT OF MARKETS, AND NOT LEAST PROMOTION OF WISE MONETARY POLICIES.+
MR LOBO SAID: +THESE ARE COMMITMENTS OF VALUE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BUDGET IS THE ASSURANCE IT PROVIDES THAT IN SPITE OF HARD TIMES, OUR PRINCIPAL PUBLIC PROGRAMMES ARE BEING MAINTAINED AND IN SOME CASES INCREASED.+
+AS ALSO PLEASED TO HEAR THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAY. 'THE GOVERNMENT WILL CARRY ON CALMLY AND STEADILY WITH ITS LONG- TERM POLICIES, AND WE WILL REMAIN ALWAYS SYMPATHETIC TO THE REASONABLE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DISADVANTAGED AND THE POOR'.+