XN000022-1986-11-05 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986

+THESE CRITICS JUST CONVENIENTLY SHUT THEIR MINDS OFF TO THE PROGRESS HONG KONG HAS MADE FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AND HAVE CONVENIENTLY IN THEIR PUSH FOR THEIR IDEALISM, DISCOUNTED THE SOLID WORK NOT ONLY OF THIS COUNCIL, BUT ALSO OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND ITS DEDICATED CIVIL SERVANTS, AND OF THE WORK OF HUNDREDS OF HONG KONG CITIZENS WHO GIVE THEIR TIME AND EFFORT WILLINGLY WITHOUT SEEKING PUBLICITY OR PUBLIC RECOGNITION,+ HE SAID.

MR CHEONG SAID THE SILENT MAJORITY IN HONG KONG RECOGNISED THAT THE GOVERNING OF THE TERRITORY HAD BEEN IN GOOD HANDS.

THEY ALSO RECOGNISED THAT AN ADVERSARIAL POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT BRED INSTABILITY WHICH WAS CERTAINLY NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE MAINTENANCE OF AN ENVIRONMENT FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS, WITHOUT WHICH THERE WAS NO FUTURE FOR HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

HE NOTED THAT UP TO NOW APPOINTED MEMBERS HAD GENERALLY SWALLOWED WHATEVER HAD BEEN THROWN AT THEM AND MIGHT HAVE BECOME VICTIMS OF THEIR OWN DECENCY AND THEIR INSTINCTIVE DISLIKE OF ADVERSARIAL POLITICS.

+YET, IF THE PRESENT TREND OF UNJUSTIFIED AND UNFAIR DIRT SLINGING CONTINUES UNABATED AND UNCHALLENGED, 1 FEAR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON PUBLIC BODIES IN FUTURE WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED, HE SAID.

+THIS WOULD DEFINITELY BE DETRIMENTAL TO ALL IN HONG KONG FOR THEIR QUIET DEDICATION, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE ARE MORE CRUCIALLY NEEDED THAN EVER BEFORE IN GUIDING HONG KONG THROUGH THE YEARS OF TRANSITION, HE SAID.

MR CHEONG CALLED ON ALL HIS APPOINTED COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER SHAKING OFF THE SHACKLES OF BEING GAGGED OR DEMORALISED BY THE +PSEUDO NON-REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE+ THE IDEALIST TRIED TO CHAIN ON TO THEM AND TO CONTINUE TO BRAVE UNFAIR CRITICISM AND WORK WITH THEIR USUAL DEDICATION FOR THE GOOD OF HONG KONG AS THEY HAD DONE IN THE PAST ACCORDING TO THEIR CONSCIENCE.

+YOUR STRENGTH OF NOT BEING PUPPETS OF IDEALISTS AND ACTIVISTS MUST NOT BE LOST IN HELPING TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE DIFFICULT YEARS AHEAD, + MR CHEONG SAID.

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