XN000022-1981-05-25 — Page 5

MONDAY, MAY 25, 1981

THE CHIEF SECRETARY WAS SPEAKING AT THE CEREMONY MARKING THE OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONG KONG ISLAND REGIONAL SCOUT FOUNDATION, HELD AT THE TANG SHIU KIN BUILDING, DI KWAN ROAD AT 7 PM TODAY (MONDAY).

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF MR BRAY'S SPEECH

CHIEF COMMISSIONER, MR REGIONAL PRESIDENT,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

+THIS EVENING'S GATHERING SPRINGS FROM SOME ADMIRABLE CHARACTER ISTICS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. WE HAVE HERE A LOCAL BRANCH OF A WORLD-WIDE YOUTH MOVEMENT NOW VERY FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AND GROWING IN STATURE. THE MOVEMENT IS WORLD-WIDE BUT LOCAL IN SELF-SUPPORT AND IN THE IMAGINATIVE WAY YOU ADAPT TO LOCAL REQUIREMENTS.

+HONG KONG SCOUTING IN THIS 70TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR HAS PAUSED TO TAKE STOCK. AFTER A VERY CAREFUL SELF-EVALUATION NEW PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN FORMED FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FINAL VERSION OF YOUR +BLUEPRINT FOR THE 80'S WILL BE COMPLETED BY NEXT MONTH, AND THAT IT WILL CONTAIN A NUMBER OF EXPERIMENTAL SCHEMES WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO HELP THE SCOUT MOVEMENT ACHIEVE A MUCH CLOSER ASSOCIATION WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE URBAN AREAS AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+AS IT IS CLEAR THAT SOME OF THESE NEW PROJECTS WILL HAVE TO BE FINANCED BY THE ASSOCIATION FROM ITS OWN RESOURCES YOU HAVE DECIDED TO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT FUND FOR THE HONG KONG ISLAND REGION, THE INCOME FROM WHICH IS TO BE EARMARKED FOR THOSE SCOUTING ACTIVITIES WHICH WILL NOT ATTRACT SUBVENTION FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA. IT FITS IN VERY WELL WITH THE TRADITIONAL SCOUT VIRTUE OF SELF-RELIANCE, WHICH YOU HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO IMPRESS ON ALL MEMBERS, YOUNG OR OLD, IN YOUR TRAINING PROGRAMMES.

*THE WIDESPREAD GENEROUS SUPPORT WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED IS DISPLAYED HERE THIS EVENING. TO MARK THE OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT OF YOUR ENDOWMENT FUND MR GORDON WU, HIMSELF A FORMER SCOUT. WILL SHORTLY BE PRESENTING THE INITIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE REGION. AND IT IS A SPLENDID AND SUBSTANTIAL DONATION, I AM CERTAIN THAT MR WU'S PUBLIC SPIRIT AND GENEROSITY WILL SOON BE FOLLOWED BY MANY OTHER BENEFACTORS OF YOUR REGION.

+WITH THIS KIND OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT YOU SHOULD GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH, TO THE BENEFIT BOTH OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU ON YOUR PAST EFFORTS AND TO WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN THE YEARS TO COME.+

15