15
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9. 1988
"NEVERTHELESS, WE MUST AVOID
帽
OVER-REGULATION WHICH WOULD STIFLE GROWTH AND EFFICIENCY OF OUR FREE MARKET ECONOMY, HE STRESSED. HE SAID HE WAS SURE THAT A PROPER BALANCE COULD BE STRUCK.
ON PUBLIC FINANCES, MR POON SAID HE ENVISAGED MORE PRIVATISATION OR HIVING OFF OF SOME SERVICES IF IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE TO DO so.
WHERE IT AFFECTED THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NO DOUBT WISH TO RETAIN A MEASURE OF CONTROL TO SEE THAT SUCH SERVICES WERE PROPERLY MANAGED AND NOT UNREASONABLY PRICED, HE ADDED.
TURNING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO SET UP A THINK TANK, MR POON SAID THE CONCEPT HAD WORKED WELL IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
NON-GOVERNMENT MEMBERS IN THE THINK TANK SHOULD BE HIGHLY TALENTED PEOPLE WITH GREAT EXPERTISE AND DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG.
THEY SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT, NOT AFFECTED BY POLITICAL PRESSURE
AND AND MUST HAVE INTEGRITY
A SINCERE COMMITMENT TO FURTHER THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
MR POON BELIEVED THAT THE THINK TANK WOULD NOT ERODE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
RATHER, IT SHOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL AVENUE TO COLLATE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE QUICKLY TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ÎN ACTING PROMPTLY, MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
ON OTHER MATTERS, HE ALSO SAID THAT EFFORTS TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SUPPORT FOR TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE URGED
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WITH BACK-UP FACILITIES SO THAT 1T COULD OPERATE MORE EFFECTIVELY, PROF THE HON C.K. POON SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE POLICY DERATE, PROF
POON EXPRESSED CONCERN
OVER THE ADMINISTRATION'S ABILITY TO CATCH UP WITH THE COMMITTEE'S WORK IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURAL OR TECHNICAL BACK-UP.
/HE SAID