XN000022-1993-04-24 — Page 3

SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1993

SPEECH BY GOVERNOR TO ROTARY INT'L HK DISTRICT 33RD DISTRICT CONFERENCE

DISTRICT GOVERNOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN,

CAN I FIRST OF ALL SAY HOW DELIGHTED I AM TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS MORNING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S QUITE A BUSY TIME I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO MISS THIS ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE THE SUBJECT THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING IS SO IMPORTANT AND BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN CONTRIBUTION TO TIE IMPROVEMENT OF MAN AND WOMAN'S LOT. AS YOU SAID DON, I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF WORKING WITH ROTARY INTERNATIONAL IN THE PAST PARTICULARLY IN YOUR POLIO PLUS CAMPAIGN WHICH DID SO MUCH TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH STANDARDS AROUND THE WORLD AND TO ELIMINATE AN UNNECESSARY BLIGHT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES. THAT WAS A REMINDER OF YOUR ALMOST UNIQUE ABILITY то CHANNEL EFFORT INTO MEETING SOME OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FACING THE WHOLE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND I DON'T THINK IT'S AT ALL SURPRISING THAT YOUR TURNING YOUR ATTENTION то THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM WHICH IS SO CRUCIAL TO ALL OUR FUTURES.

THE IDEA OF PRESERVING THE PLANET EARTH, THE THEME OF YOUR CONFERENCE ISN'T OF COURSE A NEW ONE. A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, NOT QUITE

I'VE AS LONG AGO AS THE ROMAN EMPERORS, JOHN RUSKIN SAID AND

ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THIS IS A REMINDER OF THE TRUST THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AFTER, GOD HAS LENT US THE EARTH FOR OUR LIFE, IT IS A GREAT ENTAIL, IT BELONGS AS MUCH TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW AS IT DOES TO US AND WE HAVE NO RIGHT BY ANYTHING WE MAY DO OR NEGLECT TO DO, ΤΟ INVOLVE THEM IN UNNECESSARY PENALTIES OR TO DEPRIVE THEM OF THE BENEFIT WE HAVE IT IN OUR POWER TO BEQUEATH.

BUT DESPITE THE FACT THAT ALL AROUND THE WORLD MOST OF US WOULD AGREE WITH THESE SENTIMENTS, I'M AFRAID THAT TOO OFTEN ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING TO PRESERVE OUR PRECIOUS PLANET COMES WAY BELOW ACHIEVING ECONOMIC SUCCESS ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES. ONE HAS FREQUENTLY BERN ACCOMPLISHED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OTHER. GOOD INTENTIONS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO ACTION.

WE

PLANET'S ABLE ABLE

то

ΤΟ

THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS A LUXURY WHICH CAN ONLY BE AFFORDED ONCE A PEOPLE'S BASIC NEEDS FOR THIS FOOD AND FOR SHELTER ARE MET. OF COURSE, THERE IS SOME TRUTH IN ARGUMENT BUT Ι THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNISE MORE AND MORE THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT AN OPTIONAL EXTRA. AS CITIZENS OF THE

WORLD, ALL NEED TO RECOGNISE THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO EXPLOIT OUR RESOURCES AT OUR PRESENT RAPACIOUS RATE, THEY WILL NOT BE

FUTURE ECONOMIC FOSTER

GROWTH. NOR INDEED WILI,

BE THEY SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT WAY OF LIFE. WR MUST ADJUST TO THE BEST EXTENT POSSIBLE OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES IN THE QUEST FOR DEVELOPMENT. WE MUST BALANCE THE NEEDS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT AGAINST OUR ECONOMIC ASPIRATIONS. MUST BEGIN ENVIRONMENTALLY TO LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS AND THIS APPLIES TO HONG KONG AS TO EVERYWHERE ELSE.

SIM

/IN THE