XN000022-1990-01-26 — Page 2

FRIDAY. JANUARY 26. 1990

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

GOVERNOR'S LUNAR NEW YEAR MESSAGE

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TREASURE THIS WE ALSO PAUSE

THE NEW YEAR IS A FAMILY FESTIVAL. WE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH OUR CHILDREN AND WITH PARENTS. IN THE DAILY HUSTLE OF OUR LIVES AND THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE HAVE GOT TO AND WHERE WE ARE GOING.

"THIS IS NOW THE START OF A NEW DECADE. THE LAST DECADE. THE 1980S. WAS A MOMENTOUS TIME FOR HONG KONG. DECISIONS WERE MADE THEN ABOUT OUR FUTURE WHICH ARE GOING то AFFECT EVERYBODY'S LIVES. AS PEOPLE LOOK AT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE. THEY WONDER HOW THEY ARE GOING TO WORK IN PRACTICE. NATURALLY 50. PARTICULARLY WHEN LAST YEAR THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE WE HAD TO DEAL WITH MORE THAN OUR USUAL SHARE OF CHALLENGES.

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"SO LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK BACK AT THE PAST 10 YEARS то REMIND OURSELVES HOW FAR WE HAVE COME IN THAT SHORT TIME. DOING THIS CAN HELP TO GIVE US CONFIDENCE FOR THE FUTURE.

"TAKE. FOR EXAMPLE. THE WAY OPPORTUNITIES HAVE OPENED UP FOR OUR CHILDREN. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS. RIGHTLY

So.

AND MOST HONG KONG PARENTS ARE DETERMINED TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN A BETTER LIFE THAN THEY HAD THEMSELVES.

"TEN YEARS AGO. WE HAD ONLY JUST BEGUN TO PROVIDE THREE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN.

YEARS

"TODAY WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO SCHOOLING UP TO THE AGE OF 15. MANY GO ON AFTER THAT. AND OUTSIDE SCHOOL. THERE ARE PLENTY OF ACTIVITIES FOR RECREATION AND FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.

"THE NEXT 10 YEARS ARE GOING TO SEE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. AND THERE WILL BE MORE VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN SKILLS. ALSO THAT HONG KONG HAS A LABOUR FORCE WHICH CAN COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD.

WILL BE

"OUR UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS

GROWING RAPIDLY. MORE AND MORE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CAN LOOK FORWARD ΤΟ GOING ON ΤΟ HIGHER EDUCATION AFTER THEY LEAVE SCHOOL.

THE

"THE WELL-BEING OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON QUALITY OF FAMILY LIFE. THE UNITY OF THE FAMILY IS INDEED ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF HONG KONG. TO IMPROVE FAMILY LIFE WE NEED DECENT HOMES. HOUSING IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE AN IMMENSE AMOUNT WAS ACHIEVED ἘΝ THE 19808.

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