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HURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1985
SHE APPRECIATED THAT AS A DIPLOMATIC GROUP IT MIGHT NOT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE IN ITS NUMBERS NON-GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM HONG KONG.
HOWEVER, SHE POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD DEFINITELY INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP TO DISCUSS ON, FOR EXAMPLE, INTERNATIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS, AMONG MANY OTHER ISSUES WHICH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MUST TACKLE UNDER ITS LIST OF PRIORITIES IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE PERIOD FROM ITS FORMATION TO THE FIRST OF JULY 1997.
+AND AS FAR AS THE SPECIALIST SUB-GROUPS ARE CONCERNED, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WITH RELEVANT EXPERTISE MUST ALSO BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE, AND IN GENERAL, PREFERENCE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO HONG KONG CITIZENS OF CHINESE ORIGIN, SHE ADDED.
REFERRING TO THE PROPOSED LAND COMMISSION, MISS TAM SAID IT WAS CRUCIAL THAT NOT ONLY LOCAL LAND EXPERTS SHOULD BE MEMBERS. BUT ALSO THAT THE COMMISSION WAS SEEN TO BE ACCOMMODATING REQUESTS FOR FUNDS, AND, IF NECESSARY, REQUESTS FOR MORE LAND TO BE PUT FORTH ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG TO ENSURE PROPER DEVELOPMENT IN THIS TERRITORY.
SHE SAID THAT FROM TIME TO TIME THE PROGRESS ON ALL THE THREE BODIES -- THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, THE LAND COMMISSION AND THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE SHOULD BE MADE KNOWN TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO ASSURE THEM THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS BEING UPHELD EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
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COMMENTING MORE SPECIFICALLY ON THE BUDGET, MISS TAM SAID IT MIGHT BE CRITICISED FOR HAVING NO POSITIVE PROPOSALS TO SHOW THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO ENCOURAGE LONG-TERM INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND TO FURTHER TRIM DOWN PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, THUS REFLECTING THE ATTITUDE OF A CARE TAKING RATHER THAN CARING GOVERNMENT.
HOWEVER, JUDGING FROM THE FACT THAT 17 PER CENT OF THE CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT EXPENDITURE WAS SPENT ON EDUCATION, AND COUPLED WITH THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTANCE OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION NUMBER ONE REPORT, SHE FELT THAT THERE WAS CLEARLY THE WILL TO MAKE LONG-TERM INVESTMENT ON HUMAN RESOURCES.
MISS TAM CONSIDERED THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO RE-EXAMINE THE FRINGE BENEFIT PACKAGE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS.
+1 BELIEVE, IN LAN, THERE ARE NO MAJOR OBSTACLES FOR GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE THE SCALE OF FRINGE BENEFITS BUT OFTEN THERE IS THE QUESTION OF HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS WITHOUT AFFECTING THE MORALE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE, SHE SAID.
ISS TAM SAID SHE HAD BEEN HAVING INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH LOCAL OFFICERS OF DIFFERENT RANKS SINCE SEPTEMBER 1984.
/SHE DILCOVERED