XN000022-1982-12-02 — Page 2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1982

4.

'HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY TO BE MAINTAINED'

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THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, TONIGHT URGED THE COMMUNITY TO LOOK BEYOND SOME OF HONG KONG'S IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS AND REMEMBER THAT THE HIGHEST AUTHORITIES IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND GREAT BRITAIN HAVE AGREED THAT OUR STABILITY AND PROSPERITY SHALL BE MAINTAINED AND ARE SEEKING AN AGREEMENT THAT THIS SHALL BE SO.+

THE RESOLVE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO GO ON WITH THE BUILDING OF A GREAT CITY SHOULD THEREFORE BE NURTURED AND STRENGTHENED BY THESE ASSURANCES GIVEN ABOUT THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE.

SPEAKING AT THE 14TH ANNUAL DINNER OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY, MR AKERS-JONES HIGHLIGHTED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LAST DECADE AND EMPHASISED THAT THE WORK WHICH HAD GONE INTO MAKING HONG KONG A GREAT CITY IN THE 1970'S WAS CONTINUING.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE 1970'S, BY A COMBINATION OF DETERMINED LEADERSHIP, MEN WITH VISION IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIFE AND A WILL AND ENERGY TO ACHIEVE AND OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES AND DEFICIENCIES OF THE PAST, +WE POWERED INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC EXPANSION AND GENERATED THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR A PLANNED IMPROVEMENT IN ALMOST EVERY SPHERE OF ACTIVITY AND LIFE IN HONG KONG.

+SINCE 1973, WHEN WE BEGAN OUR FIRST SYSTEMATIC ATTACK ON THE HOUSING PROBLEM, THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SECTORS COMBINED WILL HAVE BUILT NEARLY HALF A MILLION FLATS PROVIDING HOMES FOR TWO MILLION PEOPLE IN THE 10 YEARS 1973-83.

+FEW COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD CAN MEASURE SUCH AN ACHIEVEMENT IN SUCH A DIFFICULT PERIOD.

+BUT WE HAVE NOT STOPPED, AT THIS MOMENT PUBLIC HOUSING FOR HALF A MILLION PEOPLE IS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION, AS THE PROGRAMME ROLLS FORWARD INTO THE 80'S. AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO ROLL, HE SAID.

MR AKERS-JONES CONTINUED THAT WE WERE NOW PROVIDING A MUCH BETTER CHANCE FOR EVERYONE TO RECEIVE EDUCATION, AND SINCE 1971 WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL, THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, THE CONTAINER TERMINAL, A SECOND RACECOURSE, THE HIGH ISLAND RESERVOIR AND ELECTRIFIED THE RAILWAY.

+THE 1970'S, TOO, SAW A CONCERTED ATTACK ON THE PROBLEMS OF CRIME, POLLUTION, CLEANLINESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT; OUR CITY HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED BY THESE ACTIVITIES,+ HE SAID.

/+THE SEPARATE