THURSDAY, AY 30, 1985
+YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS A MUCH YOUNGER, MORE JUNIOR OFFICER IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, I WAS GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS LEFT TO GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNING PRECISELY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WERE MUCH TOO BUSY PURSUING THEIR FORTUNES TO CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH THE WIDER SOCIAL ISSUES.
+TODAY ALL THAT HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, TO THE POINT WHERE OUR ADMINISTRATION, WHICH HAS ALREADY PROGRESSED LIGHT YEARS TOWARDS MORE OPEN GOVERNMENT, IS ACCUSED OF NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH FOR THE PUBLIC TASTE,+ MR TSÁO SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT WE HAD MOVED FROM A POSITION OF APATHY AND INDIFFERENCE TO ONE OF OBSERVATION AND CONFRONTATION, BUT HAD YET TO SHIFT TO A THIRD AND MORE DESIRABLE STAGE OF PARTICIPATION AND CO-OPERATION.
+I PUT IT TO YOU THAT THIS NEXT STAGE IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE SOCIETY WE ARE SEEKING TO DEVELOP. IT MUST BE NOT ONLY A POLITICALLY EDUCATED SOCIETY, BUT ALSO AN ACTIVELY INVOLVED ONE,+ HE SAID.
HE APPEALED FOR AN EROSION OF THE OLD DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN 'THEM' AND 'US', BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNED. +WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, WITH A COMMON CAUSE AND A COMMON PURPOSE, + HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT THE FINE EDGE OF SENSITIVITY THAT WOMEN BRING TO THE IR ADMINISTRATIVE CAREERS WOULD BE A QUALITY WHICH COULD STAND THE GOVERNMENT IN GOOD STEAD IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
+FOR WE MUST BE EXTRA SENSITIVE - SHOULD PERHAPS SAY SUPER SENSITIVE - TO PUBLIC ISSUES AND TO PUBLIC CONCERN. AND, MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, WE MUST EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITIES OPEN TO US TO GUIDE THAT CONCERN INTO POSITIVE CHANNELS OF EXPRESSION,+ MR TSAO SAID.
APRIL MONETARY STATISTICS RELEASED
*****
BOTH HONG KONG DOLLAR DEPOSITS AND FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS GREW STEADILY IN APRIL, ACCORDING TO MONETARY STATISTICS PUBLISHED TODAY (THURSDAY).
SO DID THE MONEY SUPPLY, APART FROM HK$M1 WHICH FELL AS A RESULT OF SEASONAL CHANGES IN THE PUBLIC'S HOLDING OF CASH.
THE MONETARY STATISTICS ALSO SHOWED A CONTINUATION OF WEAK LOAN DEMAND, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LOANS FOR FINANCING VISIBLE TRADE.
/DEPOSITS