XN000022-1983-02-23 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1983

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PUBLIC EXPENDITURE RUNNING OUT OF CONTROL WAS A GUARANTEED RECIPE FOR INFLATION AND EVENTUAL UNEMPLOYMENT, HE SAID.

MR BREMRIDGE SAID THAT, IN ANY CASE, THERE WERE REAL ISSUES OF PRIORITY TO BE CONSIDERED.

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IF IT WAS FORTHWITH DECIDED TO BUILD THE REPLACEMENT AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK AND THE NEED FOR AN IMMEDIATE DECISION WAS NOT EVIDENT IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY FOR BUDGETARY REASONS TO MOVE TOWARDS REDUCING ANNUAL GOVERNMENT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON OTHER ITEMS BY ABOUT THREE BILLION DOLLARS WITHIN ABOUT THREE YEARS.

GIVING AN EXAMPLE, HE SAID THIS COULD RESULT IN HALVING THE LOW COST HOUSING PROGRAMME.

+WE MUST NOW ASK OURSELVES WHERE THE PROPER PRIORITIES LIE, AND WHAT ARE THE SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVES,+ MR BREMRIDGE SAID,

REFERRING TO INFRASTRUCTURAL INVESTMENT, MR BREMRIDGE ESTIMATED THAT $5.7 BILLION WOULD BE SPENT FROM CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT ON EDUCATION, INCLUDING $1.3 BILLION ON THE TWO UNIVERSITIES, THE BAPTIST COLLEGE AND THE POLYTECHNIC.

THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, EXCLUDING HOUSING AUTHORITY EXPENDITURE AND LAND ACQUISITION WOULD REQUIRE ABOUT $7.6 BILLION.

+ALL THIS EXPENDITURE, THE IMPORTANCE AND RELEVANCE OF WHICH IS OBVIOUS, IS INFRASTRUCTURRAL INVESTMENT. IT IS AN IMMENSE EFFORT, HE SAID.

HE ALSO SAID THAT TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SERVICES AS A WHOLE WOULD BE $16.6 BILLION.

+EXPENDITURE OF THIS SIZE ILLUSTRATES MY EARLIER PROMISE OF NO PETTY-MINDED MEANNESS DESPITE BELT-TIGHTENING. I AM NOT INSENSITIVE TO THE GAP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE SUCCESSFUL AND THE POOR. MY TASK IS TO NARROW IT BY IMPROVING THE LOT OF THE POOR, NOT BY SQUEEZING THE RICH, + MR BREMRIDGE SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT'S CONSISTENT AND STEADY POLICIES WOULD CONTINUE, MR BREMRIDGE SAID. THEY WERE AS SOUND IN BAD TIMES AS IN GOOD.

+ IN OUR POSITION WE HAVE NO SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE BUT TO PROMOTE ACTUAL EXPORT NOT THEORETICAL EQUITY SOLVENCY NOT SOFT- HEARTEDNESS INCENTIVES NOT IDEOLOGY WHILE STILL REMAINING COMPASSIONATE AND CARING PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF INDIVIDUAL

INADEQUACIES AND SUFFERING.

+THIS IS NO EASY RESPONSIBILITY, AND IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO PRETEND THAT THE GOVERNMENT ALWAYS GETS THE BALANCE OF PRIORITIES RIGHT, I DO NOT. BUT I SHALL CONTINUE TO DO MY BEST, MR BREMRIDGE SAID.

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