16
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1984
MR POON WAS SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ENDORSING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT.
+ IT IS NOW UP TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO MAKE THE AGREEMENT WORK, TO DEMONSTRATE TO CHINA AND THE WORLD THAT WE WILL TRY OUR BEST TO MAKE THE CONCEPT HONG KONG PEOPLE RULING HONG KONG' A SUCCESS, HE SAID.
+WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE, HE STRESSED.
HE CONSIDERED THAT THERE WERE FIVE POINTS IN THE AGREEMENT WHICH WERE CRUCIAL TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
HE SAID THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE WAS BASIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
+ IF THESE ARE FAITHFULLY OBSERVED, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN LIVE AND WORK IN PEACE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT PERSECUTION, ARBITRARY ARREST OR DIFFICULTY OF TRAVELLING TO AND FROM THE TERRITORY, + HE SAID.
J
THE SECOND POINT. HE SAID RELATED TO HONG KONG'S VIABILITY AS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE AND A STRONG ECONOMIC ENTITY.
HE FELT THERE WAS AMPLE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HONG KONG'S TRADE INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY WOULD CONTINUE TO FLOURISH PROVIDED THAT THE ADVANTAGES THAT CURRENTLY EXISTED WERE TO BE RETAINED.
-
ON THE THIRD POINT THE STABILITY OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION - MR POON SAID THAT THERE WERE PROVISIONS IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ABOUT PUBLIC SERVANTS TO ALLEVIATE THE IR CONCERNS AND ANXIETIES AS REGARDS TERMS OF SERVICE AND PENSION RIGHTS AND THAT INTERNAL SECURITY WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT.
ALSO, IN CONNECTION WITH THIS POINT, HE FOUND THE ANNEX ON LAND LEASES GENERALLY SATISFACTORY.
+MY RESERVATION IS WHETHER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PREMIUM FOR RENEWAL OF LAND LEASES BY THE ANNUAL RENT OF ONLY THREE PER CENT OF THE RATEABLE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, THE LIMIT ON LAND SALES TO 50 HECTARES PER YEAR, AND THE SHARING OF PREMIUM INCOME FROM LAND TRANSACTIONS WITH THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT GOVERNMENT'S FINANCES BEFORE 1997 TO AN EXTENT THAT TAXES WILL HAVE TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY RAISED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF REVENUE FROM SUCH SOURCES,+ HE SAID,
THE FOURTH POINT WAS THE FREEDOM OF HOLDERS OF VALID TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO LEAVE THE HONG KONG SAR WITHOUT SPECIAL
AUTHOR ISATION, UNLESS RESTRAINED BY LAW, MR POON SAID, DESCRIBING THIS AS A BIG PSYCHOLOGICAL BOOST TO LOCAL PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE+.
/+HOWEVER, TO
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.