XN000022-1993-10-06 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6,

1993

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GOVERNOR SETS OUT FIVE PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, OUTLINED FIVE PRIORITIES TO MEET RISING PUBLIC ASPIRATIONS IN THE COMING YEAR IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS DELIVERED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON (WEDNESDAY).

IN HIS SECOND POLICY ADDRESS AS THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, PATTEN NOTED THAT A BOLD START WAS MADE LAST YEAR ΤΟ ENABLE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO BUILD ON IT IN HIS BUDGET LAST MARCH.

"THIS YEAR, WE CAN AFFORD TO DO EVEN BETTER, SETTING STANDARDS TO MEET THE RISING ASPIRATIONS OF OUR PEOPLE,

+ HE SAID.

MR

THE

NEW

MR PATTEN SAID HONG KONG COULD AFFORD BETTER NEW STANDARDS BEACAUSE OF ITS PRUDENT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CONTINUED ECONOMIC EXPANSION AND, ABOVE ALL, THE HARD WORK AND SUCCESS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

THESE PRIORITIES ARE :

* FIRST, TO DO EVERYTHING HONG KONG CAN TO AGREE WITH CHINA ON FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELECTIONS IN 1994 AND 1995 AND, AT THE SAME TIME, TO WORK OUT NEW WAYS OF DEVELOPING HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA AND ITS INSTITUTIONS AT THE PRACTICAL LEVEL;

* SECOND, TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMY REMAINS STRONGLY COMPETITIVE IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET-PLACE AND EVEN MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS CUSTOMERS;

*

THIRD, то CONCENTRATE ON SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR SOCIAL SERVICE, EDUCATION AND HOUSING PROGRAMMES ;

FOURTH, TO DELIVER REAL IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR CARE OF THE ELDERLY, A GROWING PROPORTION OF OUR POPULATION; AND

FIFTH, TO TACKLE HEAD-ON THE RECENT UPSURGE IN THAT MOST CORROSIVE OF EVILS, CORRUPTION.

MR PATTEN POINTED OUT THAT IN HIS LAST POLICY ADDRESS, HE PUT FORWARD 103 SPECIFIC POLICY PROPOSALS AIMED AT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE, OF WHICH, SOME WERE TO BE ACHIEVED IN THE LONGER TERM, BUT VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE COMMITMENTS HAD BEEN ACHIEVED OR WERE ON SCHEDULE TO ACHIEVE.

A DETAILED PROGRESS REPORT WAS ATTACHED TO THE PRINTED VERSION OF THE POLICY ADDRESS FOR MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY TO EXAMINE.

"THIS REPORT LISTS PROGRESS, ITEM BY ITEM. IT IS, I BELIEVE, AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD.

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"BUT MEMBERS WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO HEAR WE ARE NOT PERFECT. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SERIOUS SHORTFALLS AS WELL RELATIVELY FEW BUT WE IDENTIFY THEM ALONGSIDE OUR SUCCESSES AND TRY TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE PROPOSE TO DO ABOUT THEM, HE SAID.

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