WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1935
11
DESTRUCTIVE SPLITS MUST BE AVOIDED
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LYDIA DUNN
WE MUST NOT PUT OUR FUTURE AT RISK IN THE PURSUIT OF SELF- CENTRED GOALS, THE HON MISS LYDIA DUNN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, MISS DUNN SAID THOSE IN PUBLIC LIFE NOW, AND IN THE FUTURE, MÚST ADHERE TO CERTAIN ETHICAL PRINCIPLES IN THE IR APPROACH TO THE IR DUTIES AND AVOID DESTRUCTIVE DIVISIONS AMONG THEMSELVES.
+WE MUST THINK POSITIVELY AND SET ABOUT MASTERING SITUATIONS IN A PRACTICAL WAY, SHE SAID.
*THE GOVERNMENT, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND EVERYƆ" ELSE IN PUBLIC LIFE MUST PROVIDE THE NECESSARY LEADERSHIP, SHE SAID.
+AND LEADERSHIP DOES NOT JUST MEAN MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS ON COMPLEX ISSUES.
+ IT MEANS HAVING A PERCEPTION OF THE BEST MEANS OF SECURING THE WELL-BEING OF ALL SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY AND A COMMITMENT TO THAT PERCEPTION.+
MISS DUNN SPOKE OF FOUR DETERMINANTS OF HONG KONG'S SURVIVAL AND SUCCESS: A COMMITMENT TO A FREE MARKET ECONOMY: THE EXERCISE OF RESTRAINT BY THE GOVERNMENT; AN APPROACH TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT WHICH SOUGHT A CONSENSUS AND AVOIDED DISPUTE: AND AN ABSENCE OF DIVISIVE FORCES.
ON THE FREE MARKET ECONOMY, SHE SAID FOR MANY YEARS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY STANCE HAD BEEN CHARACTERISED BY MINIMUM INTERVENTION IN THE ECONOMY, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE A CONSISTENT AND PREDICTABLE FISCAL, LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH BUSINESS COULD BE CARRIED ON.
+ IF THIS POLICY STANCE IS ERODED, THEN THE LIKELIHOOD OF OUR TURNING IN A SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE FUTURE WILL BE REMOTE, SHE WARNED.
ON GOVERNMENT RESTRAINT. MISS DUNN SAID THERE WAS ALWAYS THE DANGER OF EXPECTING TOO MUCH OF THE GOVERNMENT, TO IMAGINE THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD AND SHOULD CURE ALL THE ILLS THAT AFFLICTED SOCIETY AND TO BLAME THE GOVERNMENT WHEN IT FAILED TO DO SO.
+SO, EVEN IN HONG KONG, THERE ARE FAIRLY CONTINUOUS CALLS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO FAVOUR SOFT POLICY OPTIONS TO THE POINT OF RELIEVING PEOPLE AND ENTERPRISES OF ALL SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, SHE SAID.
/+IF SUCH