XN000022-1988-02-16 — Page 2

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1988

GOVERNOR'S LUNAR NEW YEAR MESSAGE 1988

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR MESSAGE DELIVERED THIS EVENING BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON:

"THE NEW YEAR IS THE TRADITIONAL TIME FOR FAMILIES TO BE TOGETHER, TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PAST YEAR, AND TO LOOK AHEAD TO THE FUTURE.

THE

"WE IN HONG KONG ARE MEMBERS OF A VERY LARGE FAMILY COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG. THE NEW YEAR IS A GOOD TIME ΤΟ THINK ABOUT

LIES WHERE WE HAVE GOT TO AS A COMMUNITY AND WHAT

IN STORE IN THE

YEARS AHEAD.

"THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN ONE WHERE WE HAVE HAD OUR FAIR SHARE OF BOTH SUCCESSES AND PROBLEMS.

"WE MUST NEVER IGNORE PROBLEMS: NOR TRY TO MINIMISE THEM. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS HOW WE FACE UP TO THEM. HONG KONG HAS A REMARKABLE

EMERGING STRONGER FROM RECORD OF OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES AND

THEM.

THAT IS JUST AS TRUE NOW AS IT HAS EVER BEEN.

"EQUALLY WE SHOULD NEVER BELITTLE OUR SUCCESSES. AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE MUCH TO BE PROUD OF.

BY EXTERNAL FORCES OF STOCK MARKETS ALL

WE PROTECTIONISM,

HAVE

THE FOR

SECOND YEAR

"OUR ECONOMY IS ALWAYS HEAVILY INFLUENCED

COLLAPSE BEYOND OUR CONTROL. BUT DESPITE THE ROUND THE WORLD AND THE CONTINUING THREAT OF

OVER 10 PER RECORDED A GROWTH RATE OF

CENT RUNNING. THIS IS A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.

AFFECTED BY PROBLEMS PERFORMANCE WILL

"IN THE YEAR AHRAD. OUR ECONOMY MAY BI: ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD. BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT OUR AGAIN BE WELL UP IN THE WORLD LEAGUE.

"DURING THE PAST YEAR THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF POLITICAL THE NEXT DEBATE. A WIDE VARIETY OF VIEWS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED ON WHAT STEPS SHOULD BE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

"AT THE END OF EVERY DERATE, DECISIONS HAVE TO WHITE PAPER PUBLISHED LAST WEEK MAPS OUT THE COURSE OF

YEARS. TAR DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT FEW

CHANGES

REACHING AND IMPORTANT, INCLUDING FOR THE FIRST DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL..

RE

TAKEN. THE

OUR POLITICAL

АНЕ PLANNED

FAR TIME AN ELEMENT OF

PERIOD "I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY, AS A WHOLE, WANTS CHANGES TO BE INTRODUCED BY A PROCESS STRADY

PEOPLE ATTACH EVOLUTION.

TO IMPORTANCE COHESION OF OUR SOCIETY.

OF CONSULTAT LON

HAS SHOWN

THAT

OUR

OF

MAINTAINING

THE

"THE CHANGES