FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 1989
3
RECENT EVENTS GIVE HK NEW-FOUND SENSE OF UNITY
FOUND
EVENTS IN
RECENT WEEKS HAD GIVEN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY A NEW- SENSE OF UNITY, AND ONCE LONG-TERM ANXIETIES WERE SET AT REST THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE ABLE TO BUCKLE DOWN TO THE TASKS IT WOULD FACE OVER THE NEXT DECADE WITH SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ASSURANCE, DAME LYDIA DUNN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
T
WE ALL KNOW THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE RESILIENT, PRAGMATIC, WELL-USED TO COPING WITH RISKS AND SWINGS OF FORTUNE AND BOUNCING BACK FROM SET-BACKS, THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID AT A LUNCHEON SPEECH AT THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS CLUB.
"
RIGHT
SHE SAID THAT IF HONG KONG WENT ON PRESSING THE CASE FOR OF ABODE IN BRITAIN WITH DIGNITY AND DETERMINATION, SHE WAS SURE THAT SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG WOULD GROW.
"IT REQUIRES A COURAGEOUS DECISION ON THE PART OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO CLOSE THIS CHAPTER ON THEIR IMPERIAL HISTORY WITH HONOUR," SHE SAID.
SHE SAID IT WAS STILL TOO EARLY TO TELL WHAT DAMAGE THE EVENTS IN CHINA WOULD DO TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY. INEVITABLY THERE WERE FEARS THAT MORE WHO COULD LEAVE WOULD LEAVE THE TERRITORY, EITHER IN SEARCH FOR RESIDENTIAL PAPERS OR FOR GOOD.
AND SINCE IT WAS ALWAYS THE BEST QUALIFIED AND THE MOST ADVENTUROUS WHO EMIGRATED, HONG KONG WAS BOUND TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THE BRAIN DRAIN ALL THE MORE ACUTELY.
DAME LYDIA DID NOT THINK THERE WAS ANY REALISTIC PROSPECT OF BRITAIN AND CHINA SITTING DOWN TO RENEGOTIATE THE JOINT DECLARATION. NOR DID SHE THINK IT WOULD BE IN HONG KONG'S INTEREST TO RE-OPEN TOOK TWO YEARS OF PATIENT NEGOTIATION TO PUT TOGETHER.
WHAT
So THE TERRITORIAL SIDE OF THE BARGAIN MUST STAND WITH THE BENEFIT OF THE PROMISES SPELT OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION GUARANTEEING THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEMS AND WAY OF LIFE.
"BUT IT IS THE HUMAN DIMENSION THAT HAS CHANGED SO MUCH IN SO SHORT A TIME. WIDESPREAD LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE GOODWILL OF CHINESE LEADERS CONFRONTS ALL THOSE WITH POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG."
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SHE SAID THE BASIC PROBLEM AND IT WAS AN URGENT PROBLEM WAS HOW TO ENERGISE AND MOTIVATE A DEEPLY ANXIOUS COMMUNITY TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO WORK FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE, AND THE POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1997 AND BEYOND.
IT WOULD NOT BE EASY, SHE SAID.
SHE ADDED THAT IT WAS NOT CONFRONTATION BETWEEN DEMONSTRATING RUTHLESS ARMY THAT HAD HIT HOME.
JUST STUDENTS
THE
SIGHT OF A BLOODY AND WORKERS AND A
/IT WAS