THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1983
19
+ IT IS HOPED THAT CONSENSUS OF VIEWS CAN BE REACHED SO THAT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION CAN BE INTRODUCED AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, HE SAID.
TO PROTECT HONG KONG'S REPUTATION AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE MR POON URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO BE FIRM AND INTRODUCE MEASURES AND LEGISLATION SPEEDILY WHERE THE PUBLIC INTEREST CLEARLY OVERRODE ANY SECTIONAL INTEREST.
ON THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION, MR POON SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO HEAR THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN HONG KONG.
HE SAID THAT THERE WERE INSUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO RECEIVE HIGHER EDUCATION IN HONG KONG SO THAT MANY PARENTS HAD TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN ABROAD FOR FURTHER STUDIES, SHOULDERING A GREAT FINANCIAL BURDEN.
+THE JOINT FUNDING ARRANGEMENT BY THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS TO HELP LOCAL STUDENTS STUDYING IN BRITAIN NO DOUBT HELPS MANY STUDENTS FROM HONG KONG BUT IS NOT THE ANSWER TO OUR PROBLEMS, + HE SAID.
NOTING THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY USED TO PROVIDE OVERSEAS EDUCATION FOR LOCAL STUDENTS WAS VERY SUBSTANTIAL, MR POON SAID THAT THERE WAS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT MANY OF THE STUDENTS MIGHT EVENTUALLY CHOOSE NOT TO RETURN TO HONG KONG,
+ IT IS THEREFORE GRATIFYING TO NOTE THAT THE CITY POLYTECHNIC MAY BECOME A REALITY IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE. THE THIRD UNIVERSITY, THE INTRODUCTION OF EXTERNAL DEGREES AND THE OPEN UNIVERSITY TYPE OF FURTHER EDUCATION WILL ALSO BE WELCOME BUT MUCH WILL NECESSARILY DEPEND ON OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
+WITH THE POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY AT PRESENT AND THE RECOVERY OF THE WORLD ECONOMY, WE MAY FACE ANOTHER BRAIN DRAIN SOON. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE AND DO IMPLEMENT OUR OWN PLANS TO PROVIDE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, HE SAID.
MR POON ALSO EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD ONCE AGAIN OVERCOME THE MANY DIFFICULTIES THEY WERE FACING AND WOULD CONTINUE TO PROSPER IN THE YEARS TO COME BY TAKING HEED OF THE GOVERNOR'S ADVICE TO BE PATIENT, CALM AND RESOLUTE.
+
/20
Page 20Page 21