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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
HE ALSO COMMENDED THE LAND COMMISSION FOR ITS +FLEXIBLE APPROACH+ IN RESOLVING OUR CURRENT NEEDS AND THUS ACHIEVING +A GOOD BEGINNING+.
THE COMMISSION, HE NOTED, APART FROM REACHING AGREEMENT ON A RANGE OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR USE IN LAND TRANSACTIONS, HAD ALSO AGREED TO INCREASE THE STIPULATED LIMIT OF NEW LAND TO BE GRANTED FROM 50 HECTARES TO 58 HECTARES FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR AND FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO GRANT NEW LEASES OF LAND FOR TERMS EXPIRING NOT LATER THAN JUNE 30, 2047.
+ALL CONCERNED SHOULD NOW REST ASSURED THAT LAND WILL CONTINUE TO BE MADE AVAILABLE WHEN NECESSARY, TO MEET OUR DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS.
+WE SHOULD THEREFORE TAKE A LONG TERM VIEW AND NOT BE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT OUR FUTURE,+ MR HO SAID.
HE ALSO WELCOMED THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION AND IN PARTICULAR, THE REFERENCE TO THE ENCOURAGING START OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP IN ITS ABILITY TO CO-OPERATE IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997.
ON LOCALISATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR HO SAID WE MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OVERSEAS OFFICERS WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HAD INDEED BEEN GREAT.
MUCH OF HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENTS, HE SAID, HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED NOT ONLY THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS BUT ALSO WITH THE HELP AND GUIDANCE OF THE IR EXPATRIATE COLLEAGUES.
HE WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE WOULD STILL BE A PLACE FOR SUCH OFFICERS NOT ONLY DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD BUT ALSO AFTER 1997 AS WAS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION.
HE REMINDED THE CIVIL SERVICE THAT THE IR PRIMARY TASK WAS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG.
+WE NOT ONLY REQUIRE A LOYAL AND DEDICATED CIVIL SERVICE EUT ALSO ONE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF INCULCATING A SENSE OF DEVOTION TO THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC SO THAT IT MAY DISCHARGE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HONG KONG,+ MR HO SAID.
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