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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1992
"OUR AIM IS FOR BETTER PATIENT CARE: TO ACHIEVE HIGHER QUALITY SERVICE, TO EFFECT BETTER COST-CONTAINMENT AND TO PROVIDE GREATER CHOICE AND COMFORT FOR OUR PATIENTS.
OF
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"ALL THESE ENDEAVOURS ARE UNDERTAKEN AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OUR TIME HONOURED POLICY THAT NO PERSON SHOULD BE PREVENTED, THROUGH LACK OF MEANS, FROM OBTAINING ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT.
"THIS IS OUR. POLICY: THIS REMAINS OUR PLEDGE,
MRS WONG
STATED.
GOVT COMMITTED TO PROMOTING ARTS AND CULTURE
THE GOVERNMENT WAS FULLY COMMITTED TO PROMOTING CULTURE AND MAKING HONG KONG A CULTURAL CENTRE OF ASIA, THE SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR JAMES SO, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR SO SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IN DEVELOPING CULTURE AND THE ARTS WAS то PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE ARTS TO DEVELOP, AND TO FORGE A SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS CONDUCIVE TO THE FLOURISHING OF THE ARTS.
"THIS POLICY HAS WORKED WELL, AND IN THE PAST 10 YEARS WE HAVE SEEN HONG KONG'S CULTURAL SCENE BLOSSOMING OUT IN A MOST COLOURFUL AND DIVERSED MANNER, HE SAID.
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"HONG KONG IS NO LONGER A 'CULTURAL DESERT" INDEED, IT HAS BECOME THE CULTURAL CENTRE OF ASIA, BLENDING AND OFFERING THE BEST OF EAST/WEST CULTURE.
"THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS HIGHLY REMARKABLE BY ANY STANDARD AND IT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION AND COMMITMENT TO NURTURE, PROMOTE AND DEVELOP CULTURE AND THE ARTS IN HONG KONG, HE
ADDED.
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TO THE
HE EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH GOVERNMENT FUNDS ALLOCATED COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS (CFPA) HAD BEEN FROZEN AT $35.14 MILLION IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, IT ONLY FOLLOWED A PERIOD OF RAPID GROWTH.
IN 1985/86, THE CFPA WAS ONLY ALLOCATED $15 MILLION. THIS WAS INCREASED TO $35.14 MILLION IN 1990/91, AN INCREASE OF OVER 230 PER CENT IN FIVE YEARS.
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THIS WAS IN SPITE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL TAKING OVER THE FUNDING THE HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA FROM THE CFPA IN
1989,
THUS RELEASING SOME $10 MILLION FROM CFPA'S FUNDS ΤΟ FINANCE NEW ACTIVITIES.
HOWEVER, MR SO SAID HE WOULD TRY HIS BEST TO OBTAIN A MODEST INCREASE IN THE FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE CFPA IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR TO HELP NURTURE NEW AND BUDDING ARTS GROUPS.
/HE SAID