XN000022-1983-10-05 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1983

GOVERNOR PLEDGES TO CONTINUE WORKING

FOR STEADY AND PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT

****

THE GOVERNMENT WILL GET ON WITH THE JOB OF MAKING HONG KONG A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN LIVE, WORK AND BRING UP THEIR CHILDREN, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+IN CONCERT WITH THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, IT WILL BE MY CONSTANT CONCERN TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES TO ENJOY STEADY AND PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT; AND LET THERE BE NO DOUBT IN ANY QUARTER ABOUT OUR DETERMINATION TO DO OUR UTMOST TO SEEK A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME TO THE TALKS, HE STRESSED.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THE YEAR AHEAD WOULD BE A CHALLENGING ONE FOR ALL, AND THAT THE CONCERN AND ASPIRATIONS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD GOVERN THE THINKING AND ACTIONS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

PATIENCE CALM AND RESOLUTION WERE THE QUALITIES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED OF ALL.

+THESE ARE THE QUALITIES WHICH HAVE BROUGHT HONG KONG THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THEY WILL DO SO AGAIN,+ HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT HE FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE ANXIETIES AND CONCERNS OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND THEIR WISH TO KNOW, AS FAR AS IT WAS WITHIN THE POWER OF MAN TO JUDGE, WHAT THE FUTURE HELD.

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SIR EDWARD SAID, THERE HAD BEEN NO MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THE GOVERNMENT THAT THE SEARCH FOR A SETTLEMENT OF THE FUTURE OF THIS TERRITORY WHICH WILL SECURE ITS LONG-TERM STABILITY AND PROSPERITY+.

THAT SEARCH HAS BEEN THE FIRST AND OVER-RIDING CONCERN OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND WILL REMAIN THE HIGHEST PRIORITY UNTIL A SETTLEMENT IS FOUND THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT, TO CHINA AND TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

HE STRESSED THAT IF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WISHED OTHERS TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEM, THEY SHOULD NOT LOSE CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES.

IN SPITE OF THE FINANCIAL TURBULENCE FACED BY HONG KONG FROM TIME TO TIME, THIS TERRITORY HAD A STRONG UNDERLYING ECONOMY, A GIFTED AND RESILIENT POPULATION, A HIGHLY MOTIVATED PUBLIC SERVICE AND A WILL TO SUCCEED.

+AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, YOUR GOVERNMENT WILL BE GETTING ON WITH THE JOB OF MAKING HONG KONG A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN LIVE, WORK AND BRING UP THEIR CHILDREN,✦ THE GOVERNOR SAID.

/SIR EDWARD