XN000022-1984-06-15 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1984

GROWTH DEPENDS ON CONFIDENCE, FORESIGHT: GOVERNOR

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LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DEPENDS FOR ITS IMPETUS ON THE CONFIDENCE, FORESIGHT AND DETERMINATION OF THE MANY PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONVERTING IDEAS INTO REALITY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF HARBOUR CITY TODAY (FRIDAY).

DEVELOPMENT ALSO DEPENDS ON A CONSCIOUS PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT, HE ADDED.

SIR EDWARD SAID:

+1 AM VERY GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY, IN THIS BUSY DISTRICT OF TSIM SHA TSUI, FOR THE OPENING OF HARBOUR CITY.

*THE COMPLETION OF HARBOUR CITY IS AN ENCOURAGING ILLUSTRATION OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN REDEVELOPING THE OLDER PARTS OF OUR CITY TO KEEP PACE WITH THE CHANGING ROLE OF HONG KONG AS A MAJOR COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND FINANCIAL CENTRE, WHAT USED TO BE A SPRAWLING GODOWN ON THE TSIM SHA TSUI WATERFRONT HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO THIS IMPOSING COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX.

+THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG IS SOMETHING WHICH MOST OF US WHO LIVE HERE HAVE COME TO TAKE FOR GRANTED WHETHER IT TAKES THE FORM OF A MAJOR RENEWAL PROJECT OF THIS SORT OR OUR MASSIVE NEW TOWNS PROGRAMME NOW ENTERING ITS SECOND DECADE, DEVELOPMENT GOES ON UNCEASINGLY AROUND US. BUT WE SHOULD ALSO REFLECT ON WHAT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE.

+DEVELOPMENT DEPENDS FOR ITS IMPETUS ON THE CONFIDENCE, FORESIGHT AND DETERMINATION OF THE MANY PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONVERTING IDEAS INTO REALITY AND ON A CONSCIOUS PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT.

+NEITHER THE COMPLETION OF HARBOUR CITY, NOR THE PROSPECT OF THE SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF THE NEW TOWNS IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 1990S, WILL MEAN A PAUSE IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE SHORTLY THE INITIAL RESULTS OF A RANGE OF VERY DETAILED STUDIES TO DEFINE OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR FURTHER URBAN GROWTH IN THE 1990S, AND TO IDENTIFY THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO MEET THEM. THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT WE SHALL NEED TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF RESIDUAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NEW TOWNS, AND WE WILL ALSO SEE SOME NEW GROWTH IN THE HARBOUR AREA - THE HEART OF OUR CITY.

+THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, AND I AM SURE IT VIEWS THE PROSPECT WITH GREAT INTEREST.

+I CONGRATULATE THE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON WHARF AND GODOWN COMPANY LIMITED AND ALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF HARBOUR CITY.

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+THE CITY WITHIN A CITY AS THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN SO APTLY DESCRIBED IS MORE THAN AN IMAGINATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL REDEVELOP- MENT SCHEME: IT IS A CONTRIBUTION TO HONG KONG'S IMAGE AS A THRIVING, PROGRESSIVE AND SUCCESSFUL CITY.+

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