XN000022-1985-10-08 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1985

THE ORGANISATIONS, HE SAID, ARE THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, THE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL AND THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, AND, IN TRAINING AND EDUCATION, THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE EDUCATION COMMISSION.

THESE BODIES JOINTLY PROMOTED DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY TRAINING AND EXPERTISE, TRADE PROMOTION, AND EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS SAT ON ALL OF THEM, THUS ENSURING THAT THERE WAS AN INTERLOCK ING RELATIONSHIP AND COORDINATION BETWEEN THEM AND THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, SIR DAVID SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID THAT HONG KONG'S STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE CAME NOT ONLY FROM THE WRITTEN FORMAL DOCUMENT ABOUT ITS FUTURE, BUT FROM MANY OTHER SOURCES. MOREOVER, HONG KONG COULD DRAW STRENGTH FROM ITS PAST EXPERIENCE.

HISTORICALLY, HONG KONG HAD OVERCOME +MANY PERIODS OF GREAT DIFFICULTY AND HARDSHIP AND HAD TACKLED PROBLEMS OF GREAT MAGNITUDE WITH COURAGE, INGENUITY AND ENDURANCE.+

THIS, HE SAID, GAVE HONG KONG +SOME MEASURE OF STRENGTH TO FACE THE FUTURE.+

SOCIALLY, HONG KONG HAD SET PRACTICAL STANDARDS OF CARE FOR THE DISABLED, THE SICK AND THE ELDERLY AND THOSE IN SPECIAL NEED, AND PURSUED A GOAL TO BUILD HOMES FOR EVERY FAMILY IN NEED OF A SELF-CONTAINED HOME.

+BUT WE HAVE SET THESE AS PRACTICAL AND ATTAINABLE OBJECTIVES, AND BECAUSE OF THEM, THE TAXPAYER IS NOT BURDENED WITH A VAST AND UNCONTROLLABLE SYSTÉM OF SO-CALLED WELFARE PAYMENTS, WHICH ARE PAID REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE REQUIRED OR NOT, HE SAID.

ECONOMICALLY, BY DELIBERATELY DISCOURAGING GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION AND INTERFERENCE AND BY LOW TAXATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF COSTS, HONG KONG HAD DEVELOPED A RESILIENT AND PRACTICAL ECONOMY WHICH HAD ENCOURAGED INITIAL INVESTMENT, AND, THEREAFTER, REINVESTMENT OF PROFITS, FOLLOWED BY FURTHER EXPANSIÓN.

INSTITUTIONALLY, SYSTEMS HAD BEEN INTRODUCED AND DELIBERATELY DEVELOPED TO CREATE A REASONABLY SENSITIVE AND RESPONSIBLE MECHANISM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH LISTENED OBJECTIVELY TO PEOPLE'S IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS.

+AND WE HAVE BUILT IN SYSTEMS TO REDRESS GRIEVANCES, COMPLAINTS AND MALFUNCTIONS AT VARIOUS LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE STRUCTURE.

+ SUBMIT THAT WE NEED NOT FEEL APOLOGETIC ABOUT THE VARIOUS MECHANISMS WE HAVE CONTRIVED TO ENABLE US TO ACHIEVE THOSE RESULTS, HE SAID.

/THE MUTUAL