FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1984
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UNCERTAINTY PRELUDE TO GREATER PROSPERITY - LIAO
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THE POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY HONG KONG IS NOW FACING IS ONLY A TEMPORARY PHENOMENON AND THE TERRITORY'S ADVANCEMENT WILL CONTINUE UNABATED TOWARDS EVEN GREATER PROSPERITY AND CONTENTMENT.
THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR DONALD LIAO, SAID THIS WHEN ADDRESSING THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE NINTH EAROPH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS THIS AFTERNOON.
FOR ALL THOSE WHO LIVE HERE AND WHOSE FUTURE IS HERE, MR LIAO SAID, THE UNCERTAINTY IS THE PRELUDE TO AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY.
+IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT CHANGES ARE SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED WHICH WILL AFFECT THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO BELONG HERE.
+BUT DESPITE THESE CHANGES LIFE MUST GO ON FOR THIS UNIQUE CITY-STATE, THE FACILITIES AND AMENITIES OF WHICH ARE PLANNED AND PROVIDED, NOT FOR A METROPOLIS BUT RATHER ON THE SCALE OF NATIONAL PROVISION ELSEWHERE.+
MR LIAO SAID HONG KONG, BLESSED WITH AN INDUSTRIOUS WORK FORCE AND BUSINESSMEN OF HIGH ENTREPRENEURIAL ACUMEN, HAD DEVELOPED A SOPHISTICATED COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
+AND FREEENTERPRISE HAS ENABLED IT TO BECOME A LEADING MANUFACTURING AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE AS WELL AS A LEADING TRADING NATION.
+THESE, COUPLED WITH THE SIMPLICITY OF THE TERRITORY'S LAND TENURE SYSTEM, LOW TAXATION AND GOOD PLANNING AND THE PROVISION OF QUALITY FACILITIES SUCH AS HOUSING, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND SOUND HEALTH, SECURE A CONTENTED COMMUNITY.+
ON LOCAL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR LIAO SAID THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH OPERATED ON THE BASIS OF CONSULTATION AND CONCENSUS HAD SERVED THE PEOPLE WELL.
+THIS UNIQUE SYSTEM OF GATHERING THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC HAS ALLOWED TIME AND OPPORTUNITY FOR DEBATE AND DISSENT, BUT IT USUALLY RESULTS IN A POLICY ACCEPTABLE TO THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
+ DERIVED FROM THIS IS THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY WHICH HONG KONG ENJOYS,+.
IN REGARD TO THE PROPOSALS FOR MORE +CITIZEN PARTICIPATION+, HE SAID ITS DESIRE WAS TO ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL HONG KONG CITIZENS.
+THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION WILL BE DEVELOPED BUT AT A MEASURED PACE SO THAT THE CITIZEN'S ENJOYMENT OF THEIR PROSPERITY IS UNINTERRUPTED.+
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