XN000022-1979-11-01 — Page 3

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1979.

2

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO

HK'S PROSPECTS FOR STABILITY

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A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS OF RECENT MONTHS, PARTICULARLY IN HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS, HAVE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO ITS PROSPECTS FOR STABILITY AND THESE DEVELOPMENTS SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD TAKE A LONGER TERM VIEW OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE THAN HAS BEEN POSSIBLE IN THE PAST, THE HON. DAVID NEWBIGGING SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).

WITHOUT ATTEMPTING AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, HE SINGLED OUT THAT EXCELLENT TRIANGULAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LONDON, HONG KONG AND PEKING AND ALSO THE EXTENSION OF THE GOVERNOR'S TERM.

+DESPITE MANY DAUNTING PROBLEMS, I SUGGEST THAT HONG

KONG WILL ACHIEVE ITS MASSIVE SOCIAL OBJECTIVES, PARTICULARLY IN HOUSING AND THE CREATION OF NEW TOWNS, WHILE CONTINUING TO MAKE ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS, HE SAID.

HE WARNED HOWEVER THAT TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE CANNOT BE FACED WITH PERIODIC AND UNPREDICTABLE POPULATION EXPLOSIONS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL, AS WAS EMPHASISED BY THE GOVERNOR.

WE MUST ALSO CONSIDER WHAT KIND OF HONG KONG WE WANT TO SEE ONCE THESE PRIMARY, BASIC OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED.

+ IN PARTICULAR WE MUST CONSIDER THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THE PEOPLE WILL THEN BE ABLE TO ENJOY WITHOUT, HOPEFULLY, DESTROYING THEIR WILL TO WORK, HE SAID.

THERE WAS ALSO THE DANGER OF NULLIFYING OUR MASSIVE EFFORT IN +LIFTING THE LIFE OF HONG KONG ON TO A PLATEAU+ - IN THE GOVERNOR'S WORDS, IF THAT LIFE IS ONE OF INDUSTRIAL SQUALOR AND POLLUTION.

HE RECOGNISED HOWEVER THAT THE PROBLEM IS HIGHLY COMPLEXI ON THE ONE HAND THE 'ENVIRONMENTAL RED TAPE' THAT OBSTRUCTS SENSIBLE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD MUST BE AVOIDED- ON THE OTHER THE AUTHORITIES MUST COME DOWN SHARPLY ON THE MINDLESS ABUSE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.

+THIS ABUSE WOULD APPEAR TO REFLECT A HERE-TODAY-GONE-TOMORROW MENTALITY WHICH IS QUITE INCONSISTENT WITH THE CONSTRUCTIVE VIEW OF HONG KONG'S LONG TERM FUTURE WHICH I FEEL ALL STRATA OF OUR POPULATION SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ADOPT, HE SAID.

HE SUGGESTED THAT FASTER PROGRESS IN IMPROVING OUR ENVIRONMENT IS POSSIBLE, EVEN WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. IN PARTICULAR, HE BELIEVED THAT IN OUR EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE CIVIC-MINDEDNESS, WE HAVE RELIED TOO MUCH ON THE CARROT, IN THE FORM OF ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS, AND TOO LITTLE ON THE STICK. IN THE FORM OF STIFFER FINES AND OTHER SANCTIONS WHICH COULD BE ADMINISTERED WITH MINIMUM INVOLVEMENT OF THE COURTS.

+WE MUST BE CAREFUL TO AVOID SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES THAT COULD UNDERMINE THE HEALTH OF THE GOOSE THAT LAYS OUR GOLDEN EGG.

/+THIS SUGLY