-
7
THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1992
THE HONG KONG SUCCESS STORY IS WELL KNOWN TO YOU. EVERYWHERE IN THIS DYNAMIC MODERN CITY ARE TALL BUILDINGS, BRIGHT
BRIGHT LIGHTS, AND CONSPICUOUS EVIDENCE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY PROSPERITY THAT HAS BEEN CREATED. BUT YOU WILL FIND, SIR, BENEATH THE GLITTER THERE ARE A HOST OF MORE MODEST TALES OF SUCCESS WHICH REPRESENT THE REAL STRENGTH OF HONG KONG. FOR EVERY HONG KONG MULTI-MILLIONAIRE, THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO STARTED WITH NOTHING, BUT WHO CREATED PROSPERITY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT TO MANY MORE. FOR EVERY SPECTACULAR STORY OF OVERNIGHT SUCCESS, THERE IS ALSO A STORY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE
HAD TO PICK
THEMSELVES UP FROM THE FLOOR AND START ALL OVER AGAIN. AND FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT CARE FOR THEMSELVES, THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, RICH AND POOR, FROM ALL STRATA OF SOCIETY, WHO HELP GENEROUSLY WITH THEIR TIME AND MONEY.
US A WEST.
FOR
SELF
THE FOR
AS YOU, SIR, MEET THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG YOU WILL FIND UNIQUE COMMUNITY. WE ARE A CONFLUENCE OF THE BEST OF EAST AND FROM THE EAST, WE RETAIN THE BEST OF OUR CHINESE CULTURE: RESPECT THE FAMILY AND RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY; A STRONG BELIEF IN RELIANCE AND HARD WORK. FROM THE WEST, WE TAKE THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS GUARANTEED BY THE COMMON LAW. WE HAVE AN INNATE RESPECT FREEDOM AND THE RULE OF LAW. WE DO NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIC OF RELIGION, CLASS, COLOUR OR SEX. WE WELCOME IDEAS AND PEOPLE
ALL OVER THE WORLD. THIS OPENNESS OF OUTLOOK COMBINED WITH OUR CHINESE HERITAGE HAS GIVEN A UNIQUE CHARACTER TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
THE HONG KONG WHICH EXISTS TODAY HAS BEEN BUILT BY HONG KONG PEOPLE'S OWN EFFORTS. IN THE LAST FORTY YEARS, WE HAVE TRIUMPHED PROBLEMS OF IMMIGRATION, POVERTY, DROUGHT, RIOTS, BANKING CRISES AND ECONOMIC RECESSION, AND WE HAVE EARNED THE RESPECT AND ATTENTION OF MIGHTY NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. OF COURSE, HONG KONG HAS ITS BLEMISHES AND ITS FAILINGS. AND IT IS FRUSTRATING FOR A COMMUNITY OF ENERGETIC, SELF-RELIANT AND WELL-EDUCATED PEOPLE TO DEPEND ON OTHERS TO DETERMINE THEIR POLITICAL DESTINY. BUT WE CAN BE PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED.
AS WE GO FORWARD TO MAKE HISTORY, WE LOOK TO YOU, SIR, FOR LEADERSHIP TO SPUR OUR COMMUNITY ON WITH SELF-CONFIDENCE, UNITY AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE. THE FINAL TEST OF A LEADER, IT HAS BEEN SAID, IS THAT WHEN HE GOES, HE LEAVES BEHIND HIM IN OTHER MEN AND WOMEN THE CONVICTION AND THE WILL TO CARRY ON WITHOUT HIM. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT AS 1997 COMES AND GOES THIS COMMUNITY WILL FIND ITSELF ENRICHED BY YOUR TENURE OF OFFICE AND INSPIRED BY YOUR VISION AND ACHIEVEMENTS.
18