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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1987
TURNING TO THOSE ENGAGED IN THE AGRICULTURAL AND FISHING INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG, MR CHEUNG SAID MANY WERE HARD-WORKING WITH AN ENTERPRISING SPIRIT.
+THEY ARE WILLING TO INVEST THEIR MONEY AND DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO FURTHER DEVELOPING THEIR TRADES.
+WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO DO IS TO GIVE THEM A PUSH BY PROVIDING THEM WITH SOME ASSISTANCE THROUGH ITS LAND POLICIES AND TO GIVE THEM SOME TECHNICAL ADVICE ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MEASURES WHICH THEY SHOULD ADOPT,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID HE FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT AGRICULTURAL AND FISHING INDUSTRIES HAD GREAT POTENTIAL TO BECOME ANOTHER LUCRATIVE EXPORT TRADE EARNING FOREIGN EXCHANGE FOR HONG KONG.
MR CHEUNG SAID IF THE CUT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WAS MADE BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT THE PRIMARY INDUSTRIES HAD BECOME LESS IMPORTANT, THE GOVERNMENT WAS PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, AND THE LOSS WOULD EVENTUALLY OUTWEIGH THE GAIN.
HE THEN REMINDED THE GOVERNMENT THAT A POLICY THAT WAS CORRECT AND MET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE FAR-SIGHTED AND INNOVATORY.
+A FAR-SIGHTED GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO FORESEE THE FUTURE, PREDICT THE NEEDS OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND MAKE EARLY ARRANGEMENTS IN ORDER TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE COMMUNITY= IT SHOULD NOT REMAIN PASSIVE, MAKING ADJUSTMENT FOR ITS OWN SAKE AND BEING LED BY THE SO-CALLED 'TREND, HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT +POLICY AND +TREND+ WERE IN FACT INTERRELATED. THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT HAD THE MERIT OF BEING ABLE TO CHANGE THE +TREND+ BY MEANS OF POLICIES. THE MODERNISATION +POLICY OF THE PRIMARY INDUSTRIES SHOULD KEEP ABREAST WITH THE MODERNISATION +TREND+ IN HONG KONG AND THE TWO SHOULD NOT REPEL ONE ANOTHER.
MR CHEUNG ADMITTED THAT THERE WERE MANY PROBLEMS FACING PRIMARY INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG, WHICH INCLUDED COMPETITION FROM IMPORTED PRODUCTS, DECREASE IN ARABLE LANDS, LACK OF MEN TO TAKE UP FARMING, FISHERMEN GOING ASHORE TO SEEK NEW JOBS, DIFFICULTIES CONCERNING CASH FLOW AND THE DISPOSAL OF ANIMAL WASTES.
NEVERTHELESS, HE SAID, AS AGRICULTURAL AND FISHING INDUSTRIES HAD POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THERE WAS A NEED FOR THEM TO DEVELOP FURTHER, IT WAS PROPER THAT THESE INDUSTRIES SHOULD HAVE STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
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