XN000022-1991-11-20 — Page 6

5

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1991

OLD

WERE AGE,

NEXT MONTH MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEFENSE OF HONG KONG DURING THE PACIFIC WAR. I'D LIKE TO ILLUSTRATE BY ACTION WHAT WE CAN DO. THE GALLANT MEN AND WOMEN, WHO FOUGHT FOR US WHILE THEY YOUNG, ARE NOW OLD. I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT IN THEIR GOVERNMENT IS ABLE TO HONOUR THEM BY GRANTING THEM, AS FROM NEXT MONTH, A PENSION AS OF RIGHT.

SWEAT LEST WE FORGET, THE TOIL, BLOOD, AND TEARS OF THE YOUNG OF YESTERYEAR MAKE HONG KONG WHAT IT IS TODAY.

OF

MANY OF THE HONOURABLE MEMBERS MENTIONED THE QUESTION CONCESSIONARY FARES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. I THINK SOME HONOURABLE MEMBERS WILL RECALL THAT THIS WAS DEBATED AS ONE OF THE ITEMS IN MAY IN THIS COUNCIL THIS YEAR. MY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE SINCE THEN PURSUED THE PROPOSAL WITH GREAT ENERGY I MIGHT TO ADD WITH MAJOR PUBLIC PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPANIES. I AM SAD TO SAY THAT THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN DISMAL. SOME WELCOME CONCESSIONARY FARES ONLY IF GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR

OTHERS IT.

ΤΟ DON'T WANT TO KNOW. STILL OTHERS WOULD PREFER

KEEP BLDERLY PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR SYSTEM BECAUSE, THEY SAY, ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE PRONE TO ACCIDENTS. SUCH IS THE VARIETY OF VIEWS.

PAY

EXPRESSED

OUR

OF

WHILST I REGRETTABLY DO NOT HAVE A POT OF GOLD FROM WHICH ΤΟ VIEWS CONCESSIONARY FARES, IT IS APPROPRIATE, TO ECHO MEMBERS'

OF IN THIS COUNCIL THAT ALL OF US IN SOCIETY MUST EXERCISE COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY CONSCIENCE. WE MUST PUT OUR THINKING CAPS

WAYS WAYS AND MEANS, DEVISE IMAGINATIVE ON, THINK

OF GRANTING TO SENIOR CITIZENS OF OUR SOCIETY NOT IN TERM OF CONCESSIONS

PUBLIC TRANSPORT BUT THINK OF OTHER THINGS ALSO IN RECREATION, IN CULTURE, BANKING FACILITIES ETC AND ETC. WE CAN GO ON ALSO ON DIFFERENT ITEMS

SOMETHING SOCIETY MUST WORK TOGETHER AS A WHOLE. IT'S NOT BUT

MONEY ALONE CAN PAY FOR. THE SPIRIT MUST COME FROM WITHIN.

OF

COME

IN THIS CONTEMPORARY DEBATE ABOUT HONG HONG’S CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE ELDERLY POPULATION, I AM REMINDED OF THE 18TH CENTURY MALTHUSIAN THEORY THAT POPULATION WOULD ONE DAY EXHAUST THE MEANS SUPPORT. THIS PREDICTION IS PESSIMISTIC BUT FORTUNATELY HAS NOT TRUE HERE. AND FORTUNATELY, ALSO, THERE ARE MANY OF MEMBERS HERE WHO BELIEVE OPTIMISTICALLY THAT NEW CHALLENGE INNOVATION AND NEW ENERGY WILL BE FOUND IN A NEW ORDER. I SHARE THEIR OPTIMISM.

HONOURABLE STIMULATES

AS

AND AND

LEARN

ENDEAVOUR AN ARDENT OPTIMIST MYSELF, I HAVE FAITH IN HUMAN INGENUITY. I BELIEVE, LIKE MANY OF YOU,

PEOPLE IN THE ELDERLY

WE HAVE TO THEIR LATENT POTENTIAL. I BELIEVE IN THE GREAT POWER

FROM THEM. TOGETHER WE WILL FIND AN ANSWER TO MEET THIS DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGE.

HONG KONG IS REMARKABLE FOR ITS CAPACITY "LIVE FOR TODAY" SYNDROME SHOULD NOT BLIND US. FINE WORDS SHOULD LULL US INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT MUST

BE IT MUST ALSO NOT ONLY PROVIDE FOR SOCIETY'S CURRENT NEEDS. SIGHTED ENOUGH TO PLAN AHEAD TO MEET FUTURE CHALLENGES.

то

PROGRESS.

THE NOT

FAR-

OF

THE

THE

IT IS SAID THE MOOD OF THE TIME IS REFLECTED IN SOME LYRICS OF THE POP SONGS. THE TOP OF THE POPS. I SHALL CLOSE WITH WORDS OF A FAMOUS SONG FROM THE BEATLES WHICH SAID:

/"WILL YOU

: