SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG'S RECIPE FOR SUCCESS HAD BEEN TO INVEST PUBLIC SURPLUSES IN THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURES NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ΤΟ LEAVE BUSINESS DECISIONS TO BUSINESSMEN.
"FEW, IF ANY, PLACES IN THE WORLD HAVE PURSUED THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPMENT WITH SUCH SINGLE-MINDED DETERMINATION AND CONSISTENCY.
"THIS IS NOT CRISIS MANAGEMENT. THIS IS MANAGEMENT BY CAREFUL FORE THOUGHT, BY PRUDENT PLANNING AND BY DECISIVE IMPLEMENTATION," HE SAID.
NOTING THAT AVOIDING CRISIS DEMANDED CONTINUOUS VIGILANCE, SIR DAVID SAID: "IT MEANS ANTICIPATING AND PLANNING FOR CHANGE SO THAT, WHEN CHANGE IS NECESSARY OR INEVITABLE, IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH AS LITTLE STRESS AS POSSIBLE.
"PLANNING FOR CHANGE
"
INDIVIDUAL CRISIS, HE SAID.
PRESENTS A BIGGER CHALLENGE THAN AN
THE TRANSITION OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, SAID SIR DAVID, WAS ONE SUCH CHALLENGE.
"THE BLUEPRINT HAS BEEN DRAWN. IT IS NOW FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVELY TO MANAGE THE CHANGE.
"FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S PART, A KEY CONTRIBUTION WILL BE ΤΟ CONTINUE THE DETERMINED PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS POLICIES TREATING 1997 AS ANY OTHER YEAR, HE SAID, ADDING THAT HE WAS NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE AIRPORT, IMPORTANT THOUGH THIS WAS.
HAVE
**
"EVERY POLICY SECRETARY HAS PLANS IN HIS PORTFOLIO, WHICH WILL CONSEQUENCES FOR HONG KONG WELL INTO THE NEXT CENTURY. THIS IS NOT A PR DEVICE.
"IT
IS SIMPLY A FACT OF THE WAY GOVERNMENT OPERATES. RATHER LIKE HEAVY UTILITY COMPANIES, WE CANNOT ALLOW QUARTERLY REPORTS то DOMINATE OUR OPERATIONS; SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON PROJECTING DEMANDS DECADE AHEAD AND PLANNING NOW TO PROVIDE FOR THEM, SIR DAVID SAID.
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