WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986
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IF IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT A SYSTEM OF 19 LOCAL AUTHORITIES WAS TOO UNWIELDY, THE BOARDS COULD BE AMALGAMATED TO FORM 10 BOARDS, HE SAID.
+THIRD, TO FINANCE THE ACTIVITIES OF SUCH A CENTRAL FUNCTIONAL AUTHORITY OR AUTHORITIES AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES, A MORE EQUITABLE REVENUE SHARING SCHEME SHOULD BE ADOPTED, HE SAID,
TURNING TO THE 1987 REVIEW, MR WONG SAID HE REGARDED DIRECT ELECTIONS AND DIRECT-INDIRECT ELECTIONS ON A GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY BASIS TO BE SUPERIOR AND A FIRST STEP OUGHT TO BE TAKEN IN 1988.
SOUND ECONOMY THE KEY TO STABILITY
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THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING THE STRIDE TO IMPROVE HONG KONG'S ECONOMY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE TWIN OBJECTIVES OF A PROSPEROUS AND STABLE SOCIETY WAS EMPHASISED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE HON ALLEN LEE.
SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS, MR LEE SAID IT WAS NATURAL THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, BUT +WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT WHAT MAKES HONG KONG TICK IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE OUR ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE.
+ONLY THROUGH CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR ECONOMY WILL WE BE ABLE TO HAVE A STABLE SOCIETY.... AND WITHOUT A SOUND ECONOMY WE CERTAINLY HAVE NO FUTURE,+ HE SAID.
·
CONCENTRATING ON THE ECONOMY, IN HIS SPEECH, MR LEE CALLED FOR VIGOROUS DEFENCE OF HONG KONG'S TRADING INTERESTS OVERSEAS AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY IN ORDER TO COMPETE EFFECTIVELY.
MR LEE SAID IF THE INDUSTRY, WHICH PROVIDED BY FAR THE GREATEST EMPLOYMENT, WAS UNABLE TO COMPETE WITH PRODUCERS IN THE REGION, THE SNOWBALL EFFECT ON OTHER SECTORS SUCH AS TRADE, FINANCE AND SERVICES WOULD BE DEVASTATING.
TO ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY, MR LEE MADE TWO OBSERVATIONS.
FIRST, HE REPEATED HIS PLEA FOR GREATER FUNDING FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS WHOSE RESEARCH BUDGETS WERE +PATHETIC+.
/+WE SHOULD