XN000022-1983-06-27 — Page 3

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 1983

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SINCE THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME WAS LAUNCHED IN 1954. A TOTAL OF 136 ESTATES HAVE BEEN BUILT, PROVIDING ACCOMMODATION FOR NEARLY HALF A MILLION FAMILIES OR 43 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION.

CURRENTLY, SOME 124 000 FLATS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND MANY FURTHER ESTATES ARE AT THE DESIGN OR PLANNING STAGE.

POINTING OUT THAT THE EXISTING NEW TOWNS WOULD BE FULLY DEVELOPED BY THE END OF THE PRESENT DECADE, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES ON THE NEXT MAJOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT HAD BEEN UNDERTAKEN OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

+DECISIONS WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN THEREAFTER WHICH WILL DETERMINE THE PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DECADE FROM 1991 TO 2001.

+WE ARE DEALING HERE NOT JUST WITH THE LOCATION OF A HOUSING ESTATE OR TWO.

+OUR PLANS ARE AMBITIOUS AND WE SHALL PURSUE THEM TO THE FULL EXTENT THAT OUR RESOURCES PERMIT, SIR EDWARD EMPHASISED.

ON HONG KONG'S ECONOMY, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT EXPORTS PARTICULARLY TO THE US, WERE PICKING UP AND THE GROWTH RATE OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT FOR 1983 SHOULD SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT OVER 1982.

+THE ACTUAL EXTENT OF THE IMPROVEMENT WILL DEPEND. AS IT ALWAYS HAS. ON THE GROWTH RATE OF DEMAND BY THE REST OF THE WORLD FOR THE GOODS AND SERVICES THAT HONG KONG PROVIDES.

+AT THE MOMENT, I AM GLAD TO SAY, THE PROSPECTS LOOK GOOD FOR RENEWED GROWTH, HE STATED.

WITH WORLD ECONOMIC RECOVERY HOPEFULLY UNDERWAY, THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF ALLOWING THE ECONOMY TO MAKE ITS OWN ADJUSTMENTS HAD AGAIN SHOWN ITS WORTH, SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT.

MANY FIRMS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WERE ALSO SHOWING THEIR FAITH IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN THE MOST PRACTICAL WAY - BY CONTINUED INVESTMENT AND EXPANSION OF THEIR OPERATION HERE, SIR EDWARD SAID.

+THE GOVERNMENT FOR ITS PART WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN BOTH THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE TERRITORY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.

+ IN SHORT, WE KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO GO, AND WE SHALL NOT BE DEFLECTED BY ROUGH WEATHER, FROM DOING OUR ÚTMOST TO GET THERE, SIR EDWARD STRESSED.

RECALLING THAT THE GOVERNMENT OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS HAD SYSTEMATICALLY REVIEWED EACH SECTOR OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, SIR EDWARD SAID. PERSONALLY I BELIEVE THE QUESTION OF EDUCATION TO BE OF THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

/4WE SHALL