XN000022-1991-01-01 — Page 2

1

TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1991

LEADERS URGED TO SPEAK UP ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAVE BEEN URGED TO SPEAK UP ON THE NERD TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.

DR STUART REED, DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION POINTED OUT TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT THE RESPECT FOR NATURE WAS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF MANY CHURCHES AND PHILOSOPHICALLY-BASED ORGANISATIONS, BUT LITTLE HAD BEEN HEARD FROM CHURCH LEADERS EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

"IT IS NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING THAT WE HAVE FROM THE LEADERS OF THE VARIOUS CHURCHES ON SUCH AN TO WHICH MOST OF THE ANCIENT SCRIPTURES MAKE FREQUENT SAID.

HEARD 90 LITTLE IMPORTANT ISSUE, REFERENCE," HE

"THE CHURCHES, WHETHER THEY ARE CATHOLIC OR PROTESTANT, BUDDHIST, SIKH OR ISLAM, MUST STAND-UP AND BE COUNTED IN THE FIGHT TO SAFEGUARD OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS," HE SAID.

DR REED TOLD THE 750 SCOUTS ATTENDING THE EAST KOWLOON REGION SCOUT CAMP AT WU KAI SHA, THAT HIS WISH FOR THE NEW YEAR WAS THAT ALL THOSE WHO WERE JOINED TOGETHER IN LONG-ESTABLISHED AND RESPECTABLE ASSOCIATIONS WHICH HAD A STRONG COMMON BOND IN A FUNDAMENTAL RESPECT FOR NATURE SHOULD COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MOVEMENT.

WAS

HE WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE SCOUT MOVEMENT TAKING SERIOUSLY AND IN AN ACTIVE WAY THE THREAT ΤΟ THB ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS POSED BY THE MODERN WORLD.

"THERE IS NO REASON WHY MODERN DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTERESTS CANNOT, UP TO A POINT, GO HAND IN HAND," DR REED SAID, "BUT MUCH HAS TO CHANGE IN OUR ATTITUDE IF THIS REASONABLE EXPECTATION 19 TO BE TURNED INTO PRACTICE.

"THIS NEED FOR A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT CHURCH LEADERS SPEAK UP FOR THE NEED TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG AND FOR THAT MATTER THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE WORLD AT LARGE, " HE SAID.

/2