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14
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1992
ON
THE HONOURABLE MEMBER'S
SECOND
QUESTION, AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT A QUESTION ON THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS CAME FROM HIM, ON THAT I THINK I CAN SAY THAT WE WILL BE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS.
WE NEED MORE SOCIAL WORKERS AND I BELIEVE I'M RIGHT TO SAY THAT IN THE COMING YEAR, AS A RESULT OF OUR PLANS, WE WILL REQUIRE BETWEEN 300 OR 400 EXTRA SOCIAL WORKERS AND I HOPE THAT THEY WILL RECOGNISE, WHEN THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN EMPLOYMENT IN A NUMBER OF AREAS, WHAT AN IMPORTANT ROLE THE HONOURABLE MEMBER HAS PLAYED IN ADVOCATING AN EXPANSION OF THE SOCIAL WORK SECTION OF HONG KONG.
MR MARTIN BARROW:
GOVERNOR, I'M DELIGHTED THAT YOU'VE ENDORSED THE POLICY OF MINIMUM GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE AND THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BE THE MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY LOCATION IN ASIA. WOULD YOU NOT AGREE THAT THERE ARE STRONG ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF PRIVATISATION AS IS BEING PRACTISED NOW BY MOST OF OUR NEIGHBOURS IN EAST ASIA, AND IF SO WILL YOU BE ASKING YOUR OFFICIALS TO COME
UP WITH SPECIFIC PROPOSALS IN THIS CONNECTION?
GOVERNOR:
I
THINK THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS AS
GOOD A RECORD AS ANY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, AT USING MARKET MECHANISMS TO SECURE PUBLIC GOODS. LET ME GIVE THE HONOURABLE GENTLEMAN AN EXAMPLE OF WHICH HE IS MORE FAMILIAR THAN I AM. NOWHERE IN THE WORLD HAS THE CONCEPT OF BOT IN FUNDING AND RUNNING PUBLIC PROJECTS BEEN CARRIED THROUGH AS SUCCESSFULLY AS IT HAS BEEN IN HONG KONG. EQUALLY, THERE'S HARDLY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHICH HAS PUBLIC UTILITIES, WHICH HAS MASS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, WHICH OPERATE IN SUCH A FINANCIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS WAY. IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE MTRC, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS ONE OF THE VERY BEST CREDIT RATINGS IN THE WORLD. I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A COMMUNITY BEFORE WHERE A RAILWAY COMPANY COULD COME NEAR TO BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT SORT OF CLAIM.
THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CARRY
THAT PROCESS FORWARD AND CONTINUE PRIVATISATION, I NOTICE THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ARE KEEN TO MAKE ANOTHER EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE THEIR TENANTS TO BECOME OWNERS WHEREVER POSSIBLE. I WELCOME THAT AND WILL SUPPORT ANY MEASURES THAT THEY BRING FORWARD. IN OTHER SECTORS TO SOME EXTENT WE'RE BOUND TO DISCUSS MATTERS WITH CHINA AND CHINESE OFFICIALS AND I HOPE THAT WHATEVER THE OCCASIONAL SQUALLS OR OCCASIONAL ARGUMENTS THAT WE HAVE, IN I'M SURE A FRIENDLY GENIAL SPIRIT, THAT I'M ABLE TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH OFFICIALS IN PEKING WHICH WILL ENABLE ME TO PERSUADE THEM THAT GOING FURTHER IN PRIVATISATION ISN'T SELLING THE SAR'S FAMILY SILVER BUT ENSURING THAT THE SAR HAS A LOT MORE FAMILY SILVER IN ORDER TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY MORE SUCCESSFUL. THAT WILL REQUIRE SOME ARGUMENT ON OUR ᏢᎪᎡᎢ . I DON'T THINK IT'S AS APPRECIATED AS I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE BUT I AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT CONTINUING PRIVATISATION, CONTINUING THE USE OF MARKET MECHANISMS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, WOULD BE GOOD FOR PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND GOOD FOR THE SERVICES WHICH THEY REQUIRE.
/MR RONALD