XN000022-1983-03-22 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1983

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WITH THESE PROBLEMS, HE SAID, IT WAS HIS CONCLUSION THAT WHILE THE DEPARTMENT WAS FUNCTIONING WELL, PARTICULARLY ON ROUTINE AND TRADITIONAL MATTERS, IT WAS NOT QUITE GEARED TO MEET THE NEW CIRCUMSTANCES.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS SO BECAUSE PEOPLE IN DIFFICULT TIMES FELT LESS CONTENTED AND TENDED TO LOOK TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR DIRECTION AND HELP SO THAT ITS PART IN EVERYDAY LIFE ASSUMED RATHER DIFFERENT PROPORTIONS.

+THE EXPECTATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE ANSWERS TO ALL QUESTIONS IS, IN PRACTICE, AN IMPOSSIBLE ONE TO MEET. AS A RESULT, THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVES RATHER MORE FLAK THAN WAS THE CASE IN THE PAST, HE NOTED.

+WHAT WENT THROUGH MY MIND AT THAT TIME WAS WHAT SORT OF MACHINERY WE SHOULD HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC, THROUGH THE MEDIA. WAS MADE AWARE OF HOW THE GOVERNMENT WAS PERFORMING ; AND WHERE THE RESULTS WERE NOT WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISAGED, WE SHOULD HAVE THE FACILITY, AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, THE COURAGE TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHY IT WAS NOT SO,+ MR TSAO SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT TO HANDLE THE GOVERNMENT'S PUBLIC RELATIONS MORE EFFICIENTLY, THE FIRST THING HE DID WAS TO SET UP A NEW PR DIVISION IN ITS OWN RIGHT WHILE TAKING STEPS TO STRENGTHEN THE NEWS DIVISION.

+WHAT I AM AIMING AT IS AN EFFICIENT MACHINERY FOR GOVERNMENT TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE THROUGH THE MEDIA,+ MR TSAO SAID.

HONG KONG REPRESENTATION IN US

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HONG KONG'S TRADE COMMISSIONER (DESIGNATE) TO THE UNITED STATES, MR BILL DORWARD, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT HE IS ASSUMING A NEW DIPLOMATIC POST WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO HELP CONVEY IN THE US AN ACCURATE AND FAVOURABLE IMPRESSION OF HONG KONG.

SPEAKING AT A LUNCH MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG, MR DORWARD SAID HONG KONG'S DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES IN THE US WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS, PERSONAL AND CORPORATE, OFFICIAL AND COMMERCIAL, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS.

MR DORWARD SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S RECENT DECISION TO COMMIT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HONG KONG REPRESENTATION IN THE US WAS TO RECOGNISE THAT AMERICA WAS OUR BIGGEST EXPORT MARKET, BIGGER EVEN THAN THE EEC TAKEN TOGETHER. OUR SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF TOURISTS. OUR FOURTH LARGEST SOURCE OF IMPORTS, OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF OVERSEAS INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT AND A VERY SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT.

+AND, HAVING SAID ALL THAT, IT HAS A GREAT POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH IN EVERY ONE OF THESE SECTORS,+ HE ADDED.

MR DORWARD