XN000022-1984-05-03 — Page 3

THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1984 ·

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PEOPLE URGED TO HAVE FAITH IN THEIR ABILITY

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HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST HAVE FAITH IN THE IR ABILITY TO ADJUST TO NEW SITUATIONS AND TURN THEM TO THE IR ADVANTAGE, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG SOUTH, HE SAID THEIR PAST PERFORMANCE HAD DEMONSTRATED THE GREAT LATENT STRENGTH IN THE COMMUNITY.

+WE ARE UNDOUBTEDLY CONFRONTING A PERIOD OF CHANGE, IS ALSO A PERIOD OF CHALLENGE,+ HE SAID.

BUT IT

+WE MUST CONCENTRATE OUR MINDS ON THE VITAL QUESTIONS AFFECTING THE WELFARE AND WELL BEING OF THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE AND WORK IN HONG KONG, AND WE MUST NOT BE DISTRACTED BY TALES OF DEPARTURE.+

MR AKERS-JONES POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE MANY FACTORS WHICH GAVE CAUSE FOR CONFIDENCE.

ON THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ASPECTS, HE SAID IMPORTANT STEPS HAD BEEN TAKEN, AND NEW MEASURES WERE BEING PROPOSED, TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT AMONG THE PEOPLE AT A DISTRICT AND REGIONAL LEVEL.

+WE ARE THEREFORE DEVELOPING A MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE AND SENSITIVE MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT.+

ALSO, HE SAID HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WAS PERFORMING EXTREMELY WELL IN RESPONSE TO WORLD ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND INDUSTRIALISTS ORDER BOOKS WERE LONGER THAN THEY HAD BEEN FOR SOMETIME.

AND ACCORDING TO THIS YEAR'S PROPERTY REVIEW, THERE WERE ENCOURAGING SIGNS OF RECOVERY IN EVERY SECTOR OF THE PROPERTY MARKET, EXCEPT MOST EXPENSIVE ACCOMMODATION.

REFERRING TO A REMARK THAT HONG KONG HAD NO OTHER RESOURCES EXCEPT ITS PEOPLE, MR AKERS-JONES NOTED THAT THESE HUMAN RESOURCES HAD NOT DECREASED, AND ADDED THAT THERE WERE 11 000 STUDENTS AT THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND 59 000 AT THE POLYTECHNIC AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTES.

+OUR COMMUNITY IS BECOMING MORE HIGHLY EDUCATED AND COMPETENT TECHNICALLY THAN EVER BEFORE, + HE SAID.

+ IN THE PAST WE HAVE POWERED INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC EXPANSION AND GENERATED RESOURCES TO IMPROVE ALMOST EVERY SPHERE OF LIFE AND ACTIVITY IN HONG KONG.

+THIS WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO: WE MUST CONTINUE TO DO. +

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