MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1985
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GIVING HIS OWN VIEW OF THE OUTCOME TO THIS PROBLEM MR TODD SAID: +MUCH OF THE TRADITIONAL INDUSTRY WILL REMAIN CENTRALISED IN THE URBAN AREAS BUT AS THE NEW TOWNS GROW WE WILL SEE NEW LIGHT INDUSTRIES BUILD UP TO UTILISE THE POOL OF LABOUR IN THESE AREAS.
+AT PRESENT WE ARE IN A POSITION TO REPLY FLEXIBLY TO NEEDS AND THE MAIN THING IS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT POSITION,+
MR TODD SAID THAT BESIDES SUPPLYING NEW LAND IT WAS ALSO NECESSARY TO REDEVELOP EXISTING AREAS AND IT WAS TO THIS END THAT THE IDEA OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAD BEEN CONCEIVED.
+THE PROPOSAL HAS ITS CRITICS, HE CONCEDED, THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY IT IS TOO LATE AND THE MARKET IS RISING. THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY IT WILL DISRUPT EXISTING COMMUNITIES AND CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR THE OLDER AND THE POORER TENANTS. THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THAT IT WILL BE UNFAIR TO EXISTING OWNERS AND THOSE WHO SAY THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE TO BENEFIT WILL BE THE DEVELOPERS.+
SOME OF THESE POINTS HAD MERIT, HE ADMITTED, BUT WENT ON: +I THINK THAT THESE POINTS CAN BE MET AND THAT A SCHEME CAN BE PUT TOGETHER WHICH WILL BE ACCEPTABLE NOT ONLY TO THE GOVERNMENT AND TO DEVELOPERS BUT ALSO, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, ONE WHICH WILL ATTRACT PUBLIC SUPPORT.+
HK TO CONTINUE ANTI-PROTECTIONIST STAND
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HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST PROTECTIONISM AND TO ADVOCATE AND PRACTISE FREE TRADE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
HONG KONG, HE SAID, REGULATED BUT DID NOT INTERFERE WITH THE FLOW OF TRADE AND HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIES WERE NOT PROTECTED FROM COMPETITION.
+NEITHER DO THEY RECEIVE HANDOUTS FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE- PEOPLE PAY DIRECTLY FOR THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVE AND AS A RESULT OUR LEVEL OF TAXATION IS LOW AND THE INCENTIVE TO INVEST IS HIGH.+
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE 1985 HONG KONG TRADE FAIR AT THE HONG KONG EXHIBITION CENTRE, SIR DAVID SAID: +THIS IS THE HONG KONG PHILOSOPHY. IF EVIDENCE IS NEEDED OF THE SUCCESS OF THESE PHILOSOPHIES, YOU CAN SEE IT AROUND YOU.
+HONG KONG'S SUCCESS IS THE REAL REPLY TO NARROW-MINDED FORCES OF PROTECTIONISM WHOSE ONLY EFFECT IN THE LONG TERM WILL BE FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ECONOMIES OF THE 'PROTECTORS'.+
STR DAVID