XN000022-1987-04-01 — Page 28

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1987

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+THIS PERIOD ALSO SAW HONG KONG PLAYING A GRADUALLY INCREASING ROLE IN THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE, INCLUDING THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHING OF THE URUGUAY ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS LAST YEAR, AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ADVERSELY AFFECTING HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

+ INTERNALLY, A MAJOR OVER HAUL OF THE TEXTILE QUOTA SYSTEM WAS SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT.+

SIR DAVID SAID IN ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE JUDGMENT AND ADVICE OF MR HO PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN FORMULATING THE POLICIES IN THE MATTERS WHICH WERE SO VITAL TO HONG KONG'S CONTINUING PROSPERITY.

HE POINTED OUT THAT MR HO HAD ALSO MADE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY BY EXPANDING GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT SERVICES AND ENSURING THE EXISTENCE OF THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FOR INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.

HE SAID MR HO JOINED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN APRIL 1977 ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL, HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING A POLICY OF UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, BRINGING TO THE TASK HIS GENUINE CARE AND CONCERN FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

HE ALSO SAID THAT MR HO'S CONTRIBUTION AS A MEMBER OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAD BEEN NO LESS SIGNIFICANT.

+WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, HONG KONG HAS, SINCE APRIL 1986, BEEN ACCEPTED AS A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE,+ SIR DAVID SAID.

LASTLY, HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH MR HO WAS RETIRING FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE, HONG KONG WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HIS WISDOM AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERTISE AS HE WOULD TAKE UP APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IN MAY.

+ AM SURE MEMBERS WILL WANT TO JOIN ME IN WISHING HIM SUCCESS IN HIS NEW APPOINTMENT AND WE WISH MR AND MRS HO MUCH HAPPINESS IN THE YEARS TO COME,+ HE SAID.

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