IS
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN—SUPPLEMENT
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES BEACONSFIELD HOUSE HONG KONG TEL 5-233191
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1984
GOVERNOR'S LUNAR NEW YEAR MESSAGE 1984
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FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE'S LUNAR NEW YEAR MESSAGE DELIVERED ON THURSDAY EVENING (FEBRUARY 2).
+NEW YEAR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME IN THE FAMILY CALENDAR. IT IS THE TIME TO GATHER TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND A TIME TO TAKE STOCK OF THE YEAR THAT HAS PASSED AND THE YEAR THAT IS TO COME. THIS IS OUR SECOND NEW YEAR IN HONG KONG. DURING OUR TIME HERE IT HAS BECOME A SPECIAL PLACE FOR US. WE VALUE GREATLY THE FRIENDSHIPS WE HAVE MADE AND THE WARMTH OF THE GOOD FEELING WHICH HAS BEEN SHOWN TOWARDS US. WE FEEL VERY MUCH A PART OF THE BIG FAMILY OF HONG KONG.
*OURS IS A UNIQUE COMMUNITY : ALWAYS READY TO ADAPT, TO INNOVATE AND TO FACE WHATEVER CHALLENGES CONFRONT US. LIKE ALL SOCIETIES HONG KONG HAS ITS SHORTCOMINGS; BUT NOWHERE IS THERE A COMMUNITY MORE RESILIENT, MORE ENDOWED WITH GOOD SENSE, DETER- MINATION AND HIGH ENDEAVOUR. THESE ARE THE QUALITIES WHICH HAVE BUILT THE HONG KONG WE KNOW TODAY.
*AT THE DAWN OF THE NEW YEAR, WE CAN PAUSE TO REFLECT ON THESE QUALITIES. THEY HAVE BROUGHT HONG KONG THROUGH SO MANY DIFFICULT TIMES IN THE PAST. THEY MUST SURELY GIVE US CONFIDENCE WITH WHICH TO FACE THE FUTURE. THIS IS THE TIME, TOO, TO REFLECT ON WHAT LIFE HAS TO OFFER HERE ON THE FREEDOMS WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE FOR GRANTED AND WHICH ENABLE OUR SOCIETY TO FLOURISH, ON WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN HONG KONG AND ON HOW MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE.
+OVER THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE ALL BEEN DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE SEARCH FOR A SETTLEMENT OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WHICH WILL SECURE ITS LONG-TERM STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. WE SHALL CONTINUE WITH THAT TASK WITH UNDIMINISHED DETERMINATION. THERE HAS BEEN AND WILL BE NO MORE IMPORTANT CALL ON OUR TIME AND ENERGY. WE KNOW VERY WELL WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE LOOKING FOR -- THE CONTINUATION OF THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN OUR SOCIETY AND ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING FOR.
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