XN000022-1990-10-10 — Page 38

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1990

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1990S WILL BE DECADE OF STEADY PROGRESS

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT 1990 HAS BEEN A YEAR OF CONSOLIDATION, AND THE 1990S WILL BE A DECADE OF STEADY PROGRESS.

"WE FACE THE IMMEDIATE PROSPECT OF A TOUGHER TRADING

ENVIRONMENT AND HIGHER COSTS AND PRICES. WE HAVE FACED DIFFICULT TIMES BEFORE. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK AND TO DO SO QUICKER THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE MUST PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN DO THAT AGAIN, "SIR DAVID SAID IN CONCLUDING HIS POLICY SPEECH TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

"IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE RETAIN OUR COMPETITIVENESS IN WORLD TO DO SO, WE MUST MINIMISE THE EFFECTS OF WAGE AND PRICE

MARKETS. INCREASES.

"IN A FREE ENTERPRISE ECONOMY, THIS MEANS ALLOWING MARKET MECHANISMS TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY. PUBLIC EXPENDITURE MUST REMAIN UNDER TIGHT CONTROL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST TAKE

TO STEPS PROTECT THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO INCREASES IN THE COST OF LIVING, HE SAID.

H

THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT A SERIES OF PROGRAMMES HAD BEGUN LAST YEAR WHICH WOULD TRANSFORM OUR INFRASTRUCTURE; UPGRADE OUR SOCIAL SERVICES; AND MODERNISE OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM.

TOWARDS

"WE HAVE NOT BEEN INTIMIDATED BY THESE CHALLENGES. TODAY I HAVE REPORTED ON A YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

OUR OBJECTIVES," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID WORK ON THE NEW AIRPORT, EXPANSION OF THE PORT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELATED TRANSPORT LINKS WAS WELL UNDERWAY.

"WE STILL HAVE SOME HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE, AND MANY OF THE DETAILS HAVE YET TO BE SETTLED. NEVERTHELESS, THESE PROJECTS ARE ESSENTIAL INVESTMENTS IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE, AND WE SHOULD BE CLEAR IN. OUR DETERMINATION TO SEE THEM CARRIED OUT, HE SAID.

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ON SOCIAL SERVICES, HE SAID: "IN THE NEXT DECADE, THERE WILL BE MAJOR ADVANCES IN THE QUALITY AND RANGE OF OUR SOCIAL SERVICES, ON WHICH THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ORDINARY HONG KONG FAMILIES DEPENDS. HAVE MOVED INTO A NEW PHASE."

WE

THE GOVERNOR SAID THE ESSENTIAL STRUCTURE OF OUR SOCIAL SERVICES WOULD REMAIN, AND STANDARDS WOULD IMPROVE. PROTECTION OF THE VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WOULD REMAIN A PRIORITY, BUT WE HAD NO INTENTION OF MOVING TOWARDS A STATE WELFARE SYSTEM WHICH CARRIED THE INEVITABLE RISK OF UNDERMINING THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY AND CREATING DEPENDENCE ON GOVERNMENT SERVICES.

"IN OUR NEXT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, SERVICES WILL BE THERE WILL BE A MUCH WIDER CHOICE. NO-ONE WILL BE DEPRIVED HIGHER LEVEL OF STANDARD SERVICES THROUGH LACK OF MEANS.

UPGRADED.

OF OUR

/"BUT THOSE