THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1984
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HONG KONG SYSTEM WORTH PRESERVING: LOBO
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IT WAS VITAL THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD IDENTIFY AND DISPLAY TO OTHERS THE QUALITIES WHICH HAVE MADE THIS COMMUNITY A SUCCESSFUL SOCIETY WORTH PRESERVING, HON R.H. LOBO SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
WINDING UP THE MOTION OF THANKS FOR THE GOVERNOR'S ANNUAL ADDRESS, MR LOBO SAID THE HONG KONG SYSTEM, WHATEVER ITS SECRET HAD ALWAYS GENERATED SELFLESS DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL SUCCESS.
HE SAID THE HONG KONG SYSTEM DEFIED ABSOLUTE DEFINITION, BUT CONTAINED THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
* FREEDOM TEMPERED BY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE,
*
RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL,
* REWARD FOR ENTERPRISE AND SUCCESS, AND
* CONCERN FOR THOSE IN NEED.
+THESE FACTORS, COMBINED WITH THE ENTERPRISING QUALITIES OF OUR PEOPLE, HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT A SOCIETY WHICH HAS OUT-PERFORMED ITS COMPETITORS, NOT MERELY IN INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT BUT IN THE PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES, HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND IN ALL THOSE ASPECTS WHICH, TOGETHER, PRODUCE A SATISFYING STYLE OF LIFE AND A CONTENTED COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
+ IT IS CLEAR, THE KEY LIES IN THE BLENDING OF A RESPONSIVE ADMINISTRATION WITH THE RIGHTS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, + MR LOBO SAID.
HE SAID HONG KONG HAD BEEN MADE BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND HAD BECOME WHAT HONG KONG PEOPLE WANTED IT TO BE.
+ INDEED, HONG KONG'S SUCCESS IS WIDELY RECOGNISED AS DUE TO THE FACT THAT GOVERNMENT INTERFERES AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE WITH THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO WORK AND LIVE HERE.+
HE NOTED THAT THE FORTHCOMING WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG WAS UPPERMOST
IN THE MINDS OF MANY PEOPLE.
+THIS IS SEEN BY MANY AS PART AND PARCEL OF THE OTHER WHITE PAPER WHICH WE HAVE JUST DEBATED.
+ INDEED, AS WE LOOK TO THE SESSION AHEAD, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE WHITE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED, MR LOBO SAID.
THERE WAS APPREHENSION ARISING FROM THE POSSIBILITY THAT FREE ELECTIONS MIGHT TURN THIS THRIVING SOCIETY INTO A PARASITIC WELFARE STATE, HE SAID.
/HE OBSERVED