REPLY:
26
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2,
1994
(B)
WHETHER SUCH
WORTHWHILE;
AND
EXPENDITURE
WHETHER THERE ARE ANY
ARE CONSIDERED TO BE
MEASURES
ΤΟ
MR PRESIDENT,
(A)
ACHIEVE SAVINGS IN THIS RESPECT?
GOVERNMENT
MANY
OFFICIALS OF DIFFERENT RANKS ARE PUBLIC REQUIRED TO MAKE SPEECHES AT A WIDE VARIETY OF FORUMS AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES, BOTH LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS. FOR EXAMPLE, OVER 30 SUCH SPEECHES WERE MADE BY DIRECTORATE OFFICERS IN THE LAST MONTH OF 1993/94 (MARCH 1994) ALONE. THE COST OF MAKING THESE
AS VARIES FROM ONE OCCASION TO ANOTHER, SPEECHES
IT DEPENDS ON A WIDE RANGE OF FACTORS, SUCH AS THE PURPOSE OF THE FUNCTION AND THE LENGTH AND NATURE OF THE SPEECH. I REGRET THAT TO CALCULATE THE COST
ALL MAKING
THESE SPEECHES WOULD INVOLVE DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND COST. VERY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH WOULD HAVE TO BE CARRIED OUT, COVERING ALL THE DIFFERENT RANKS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN MAKING SUCH SPEECHES, AND THEIR SUPPORTING STAFF.
—
OF A
(B)
MAKING SPEECHES, BOTH LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS, IS PART OF THE NORMAL WORK THAT WE EXPECT OF OUR SENIOR OFFICIALS. AS AN ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT, WE SHOULD
BE. AND ARE, ACTIVE IN EXPLAINING OUR POLICIES TO
VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS. IT IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR OFFICIALS TO MAKE SPEECHES OVERSEAS TO PROMOTE HONG KONG. THE MORE THAT OTHERS KNOW OF OUR SUCCESS, AND THE MORE WE CAN
COUNTER DO TO
THE OFTEN NEGATIVE IMPRESSION THAT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW HONG KONG HAVE, THE MORE WE CAN SAFEGUARD OUR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL POSITION AND OUR CONTINUING PROSPERITY.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE EFFORT AND EXPENDITURE INCURRED IN MAKING THESE SPEECHES IS WELL SPENT.
O
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