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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
+UNLESS WE ARE SATISFIED THAT WE ARE GETTING GOOD VALUE FOR THE HUGE SUMS OF MONEY SPENT EACH YEAR ON PUBLIC HOUSING,
↑ AS A TAXPAYER HAVE CONSIDERABLE DOUBTS IN THE WISDOM OF PURSUING A PROGRAMME THE PURPOSE OF WHICH HAS DEPARTED FROM THAT ORIGINALLY ENVISAGED, WHICH WAS TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE IN REAL NEED, + MR CHEN SAID.
ON EDUCATION, HE SAID THAT IT WAS IRONIC THAT WHILE MANY APPLAUDED THE MERIT OF NINE-YEAR FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED IN 1978, MANY EDUCATORS AND TEACHERS WERE NOW SAYING THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF INCREASING UNRULY AND DELIQUENT BEHAVIOURS IN SCHOOLS.
THE FACT THAT MANY CHILDREN HAD NO INTEREST IN STUDYING AND WOULD RATHER SPEND THE IR TIME IN THE STREETS OR IN SUCH PLACES AS ELECTRONIC GAMES PARLOURS MEANT THAT VAST AMOUNT OF PUBLIC MONEY WAS BEING WASTED ON THOSE WHO OBVIOUSLY DID NOT APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY OF SCHOOL ING, HE SAID.
HE QUESTIONED WHETHER THE PRESENT SYSTEM HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY RE-ASSESSED OF ITS VALUE SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
AS A FIRST STEP TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, HE SAID HE BELIEVED WE HAD TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT NOT ALL CHILDREN WERE SUITABLE FOR EDUCATION BEYOND A CERTAIN LEVEL.
+FOR THOSE WHO SHOULD BE EDUCATED, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IS SUCH THAT WOULD JUSTIFY OUR HUGE ANNUAL EXPENDITURES IN THIS SECTOR OF EDUCATION,+ HE SAID.
GOVT URGED TO TACKLE PROTECTIONISM POSITIVELY
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED TO EXAMINE ITS POLICY ON HOW TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF PROTECTION ISM POSITIVELY.
THE CALL CAME FROM THE HON ALLEN LEE DURING THE ANNUAL POLICY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY)
HE SAID PROTECTIONISM WAS NOT ONLY AN ECONOMIC ISSUE ANY MORE, IT WAS A POLITICAL ISSUE.
+IT REALLY DOES NOT MATTER TO EXAMINE WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF THE PROTECTIONISTIC SENTIMENTS, THE FACT IS, IT IS THERE AND IT WON'T DISAPPEAR,
+WE HAVE MADE OUR NOISES KNOWN TO THE WORLD THAT HONG KONG HAS AN OPEN MARKET, WE PRACTISE FREE TRADE, AND WE ARE THE VICTIM OF PROTECTIONISM THROUGH NO FAULT OF OUR OWN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE MOST WE WILL GET IS A SYMPATHETIC HEARING, + HE SAID.
/REFERRING TO