SATURDAY, JULY 7, 1990
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THIS MORNING 10 STUDENTS CALLED ON MR LAN AND LEARNED FROM HIM ABOUT THE TERRITORY'S SUCCESS STORY AND ITS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
THE GROUP'S LEADER, MISS HELENE WAJNBLUM, COMMENTED AFTER THE MEETING: "THE BRIEFING GIVEN BY MR LAN THIS MORNING IS MOST ENLIGHTENING AND USEFUL. WE ARE VERY IMPRESSED WITH HONG KONG'S SUCCESS AS A THRIVING INTERNATIONAL CITY, AND THE HARD WORK OF ITS PEOPLE".
AT THE MEETING, MR LAN GAVE A DETAILED BRIEFING ON WHAT MAKES HONG KONG TICK, AND ON THE TERRITORY'S AMBITIOUS INFRASTRUCTURAL PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
PEOPLE
TO BEGIN WITH, HE HIGHLIGHTED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HONG KONG HARDWORKING, ADAPTABLE AND RESOURCEFUL. "THESE CHARACTERISTICS HAVE MADE HONG KONG WHAT IT IS TODAY," HE SAID.
HONG KONG HAS A "DYNAMIC AND COHESIVE" COMMUNITY ALWAYS TAKING
A POSITIVE OUTLOOK, MR LAN STRESSED.
'WE ARE ALSO A CARING COMMUNITY, BREAKING MANY RECORDS IN RAISING FUNDS FOR EDUCATION, SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE LESS PRIVILEGED. NOTABLE EXAMPLES ARE THE GOOD WORK BY THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS, PO LEUNG KUK, LOK SIN TONG, AND SO ON.
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"AT THE GRASSROOT LEVEL, OUR DISTRICT BOARDS ARE MAKING VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS BUILDING A COHESIVE AND HARMONIOUS COMMUNITY, APART FROM PERFORMING OTHER USEFUL FUNCTIONS.
"THE DISTRICT FESTIVALS ORGANISED BY THE BOARDS HAVE BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY AS A MAJOR COMMUNITY-BUILDING EFFORT, HE SAID.
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"WE ARE
ON HONG KONG'S CURRENT PROBLEMS, MR LAN STRESSED THAT NEVER DAUNTED BY THEM AND ARE TAKING ALL POSSIBLE MEASURES TO TACKLE THEM.
"WE HAVE A BRAIN DRAIN, MANY VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE AND A LABOUR SHORTAGE. NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE CONFIDENT OF TIDING THEM OVER AS WE DID IN THE PAST. WE ARE ALSO CONFIDENT OF BOUNCING BACK AND EMERGING EVEN STRONGER THAN BEFORE," HE SAID.
ELABORATING ON THE
MEASURES, MR LAN POINTED OUT THAT THE TERRITORY, IN PARTICULAR, SAW THE NEED TO GROOM YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE FUTURE.
**WE HAVE THEREFORE PLANNED TO INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY THE NUMBER OF FIRST-YEAR PLACES IN TERTIARY EDUCATION FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WELL-EDUCATED AND WELL-TRAINED YOUNG PEOPLE ARE OUR IMPORTANT ASSET AND RESOURCE, HE ADDED.
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MR LAN POINTED OUT THAT OTHER PLANS FOR THE FUTURE INCLUDED A NEW AIRPORT AND IMPROVED PORT FACILITIES, ALL OF WHICH UNDERLINED THE GOVERNMENT'S FIRM COMMITMENTS TO THE TERRITORY UP TO AND BEYOND 1997.
"NEXT YEAR