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THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1985
+THE DAYS OF BENEVOLENT APPOINTMENT TO POWER IN GOVERNMENT ARE DRAWING TO A CLOSE, THE DAYS OF CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT BY THOSE WHO TAKE POLITICS SERIOUSLY ARE AT HAND.
+ I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE HONG KONG PROSPEROUS WILL STAND BY AND LET THIS PROSPERITY BE PUT AT RISK THROUGH INDOLENCE, + MR BRAY SAID.
AS TIME WENT BY, THOSE IN POWER IN HONG KONG WOULD INCREASINGLY DERIVE THE IR AUTHORITY NOT FROM APPOINTMENT BUT FROM ELECTION, HE NOTED.
THEY WOULD BE THE MEN WHO WOULD DECIDE WHETHER TO CONTINUE WITH POLICIES THAT LEAVE PEOPLE TO GO ABOUT THEIR OWN AFFAIRS WITHOUT INTERFERENCE, DETERMINE THE RESOURCES TO BE DEVOTED TO SOCIAL SERVICES AND SET THE LEVEL OF TAXATION.
MR BRAY STATED THAT DESPITE THE IMPENDING CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THE UNDERLYING REALITIES OF THE HONG KONG SITUATION WOULD NOT CHANGE.
IF HONG KONG PEOPLE WANTED TO CONSERVE THE BEST OF THOSE GOVERNMENT POLICIES WHICH HAD CREATED THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE TERRITORY HAD PROSPERED, THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD AT POLITICS TO DO IT, HE SAID.
+NOBODY ELSE WILL DO IT FOR YOU,+ HE STRESSED.
HONG KONG, MR BRAY SAID, WAS UNIQUE IN LIVING WITH A GOVERNMENT WHICH IS NOT ELECTED BUT WHICH PRESERVES SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF CIVIL LIBERTIES.
+GOVERNMENTS WHICH ARE NOT ELECTED ARE FOUND IN PLENTY OF PLACES. GOVERNMENTS WHICH MAINTAIN CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE ALSO TO BE FOUND ELSEWHERE.
+THE HONG KONG COMBINATION OF BOTH IN THE SAME PLACE IS NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE. STABILITY IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES CAN ONLY BE MAINTAINED BY NURTURING THE SORT OF SENSITIVITY TO PUBLIC FEELINGS AND ASPIRATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT, MR BRAY SAID,
+TODAY WE ARE ON THE THRESHOLD OF A TRANSFORMATION OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. NEXT OCTOBER THE MAJORITY OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL BE MEN AND WOMEN ELECTED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE NOT APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
+ THE TIME HAS NOW COME FOR EVERYONE IN HONG KONG TO TAKE POLITICS SERIOUSLY, HE STATED.
HE REMINISCED ABOUT HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST YEARS ON MANY FRONTS, RANGING FROM ECONOMIC GROWTH, PUBLIC HOUSING AND EDUCATION TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.
/MR BRAY