THURSDAY, MAY 5, 1983
2
NOTING THAT IT WAS TOO EARLY TO CONSIDER BORROWING SOURCES MR BLYE SAID ONE OBVIOUS POSSIBILITY WAS FOR HONG KONG TO INVOKÉ ITS BORROWING RIGHTS WITH THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN USED SINCE 1980.
MR BLYE NOTED THAT THERE HAD RECENTLY BEEN EXCESSIVE COMMENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, MUCH OF IT +MISLEADING AND SOME +MISCHIEVOUS+.
+THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THERE IS A COMMON AIM BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IN MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
+THIS COMMON AIN, WHEN SET AGAINST EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST DECADE OF AN AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE IN REAL TERMS OF PER CAPITA GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF SEVEN PER CENT, AND THE LACK OF ANY PERSISTENT DOMESTIC INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT, CLEARLY POINTS TO A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR HONG KONG, HE SAID.
CHIEF SECRETARY VISITS CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ****
INCREASING DEMAND FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATISTICS FROM BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR PLANNING AND RESEARCH HAD BEEN EVIDENT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, WAS TOLD WHEN HE VISITED THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY).
THIS CAME AS NO SURPRISE TO SIR PHILIP AS HE HIMSELF ATTACHES CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THE ROLE OF STATISTICS IN THE PLANNING OF HONG KONG'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS.
+THE DEPARTMENT'S CONSISTENTLY THOROUGH APPROACH IS A TRUE MEASURE OF THE HIGH PROFESSIONALISM OF ITS STAFF, SIR PHILIP SAID.
IN TERMS OF QUALITY, ITS MANY PURPOSE-BUILT SURVEYS WERE ON A PAR WITH THOSE BEING CONDUCTED IN SOME OF THE MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, REFLECTING HONG KONG'S GROWING SOPHISTICATION IN YET ANOTHER FIELD, HE ADDED.
ACCOMPANIED BY MR COLIN GREENFIELD, THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS, SIR PHILIP TOURED TWO OF THE DEPARTMENT'S THREE OFFICE LOCATIONS, ONE AT PERMANENT COMFORT BUILDING AND THE OTHER AT KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, SHEUNG WAN,
DURING THE TOUR, SIR PHILIP WAS INTRODUCED TO A PLAN REGARDING THE REVISED APPROACH TO ANNUAL ECONOMIC SURVEYS.
UNDER THE REVISED PROGRAMME, MANPOWER SAVINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED, A MORE EVEN WORKLOAD ESTABLISHED, TIMING FOR THE AVAILABILITY OF DATA IMPROVED, AND REPORTING BURDEN ON RESPONDENTS MINIMISED.
THIS, EXPLAINED MR GREENFIELD, WAS PARTICULARLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MEET INCREASING DEMANDS ON THE RESOURCES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
/SIR PHILIP