XN000022-1986-04-24 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1986

MR SCOTT SAID HONG KONG CONTINUED TO MAKE HEADWAY DURING THESE INITIAL YEARS OF TRANSITION: THAT GOOD PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE WITH CHINA TO SOLVE THE COMPLEX MATTERS INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSION OF HONG KONG TO A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION IN 1997- AND THAT THE ECONOMY AND INVESTMENT CLIMATE REMAIN HEALTHY.

AS REGARDS THE FUTURE, MR SCOTT SAID THE NEXT STEP IN HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE THE 1987 REVIEW WHICH, HE ADDED, WOULD NOT BE AN EASY TASK.

HE SAID THE SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE IN KEEPING WITH THE BASIC LAW, THE DRAFTING OF WHICH WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHINA.

+SOME PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THAT CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN HONG KONG MUST BE ALIGNED WITH THE BASIC LAW, BUT WE MUST FACE THE REALITIES.

+ THE TASK IS TO ADAPT AND BUILD ON OUR PRESENT SYSTEM SO THAT, ON THE ONE HAND, IT WILL SATISFY THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, CREATE A GOVERNMENT WHICH WILL EXERCISE A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY COMPATIBLE WITH THE LARGER ENTITY OF CHINA AND THE CONCEPT OF 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS', HE SAID.

HE SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BUILD A GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE APPROPRIATE TO ITS NEEDS AND IN HARMONY WITH ITS TRADITIONS OF CONSULTATION AND CONSENSUS AND THAT IT SHOULD ACHIEVE THIS THROUGH STEADY PROGRESS COMBINED WITH STABILITY.

+QUANTUM LEAPS INTO MODEL FORMS OF DEMOCRACY, OR POPULIST AND CONFRONTATION POLITICS ON A WESTERN MODEL, ARE NOT, MOST HONG KONG PEOPLE BELIEVE, WHAT WE WANT, HE SAID.

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HOUSE HOLDS SPENDING MORE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT

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HOUSEHOLDS IN HONG KONG ARE SPENDING MORE ON EATING OUT AS WELL AS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT, THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS, DR RICHARD BUTLER, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD TO INTRODUCE THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES (CPI'S), DR BUTLER PRESENTED THE WEIGHTING PATTERNS OF THE NEW CPI'S AND COMPARED THEM WITH THOSE OF 1979-80.

+CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES, BASED ON A FIXED BASKET OF GOODS AND SERVICES BOUGHT BY AVERAGE HOUSEHOLDS, ARE IMPORTANT ECONOMIC INDICATORS AND ARE WIDELY USED AS A REFERENCE IN WAGE AND SALARY ADJUSTMENTS. IT IS GOVERNMENT POLICY TO REVISE THEM ABOUT ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS TO ENSURE THAT THEY REALISTICALLY REFLECT PRICE CHANGES AFFECTING CONSUMERS, HE EXPLAINED.

/BASED ON