XN000022-1993-10-27 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993

OVER THE LAST YEAR, THE CIVIL SERVICE HAD BEEN UNDER GREAT PRESSURE BUT HAD WON THROUGH, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THEY HAD EMBRACED PERFORMANCE PLEDGES ENTHUSIASTICALLY BECAUSE THEY CARED ABOUT THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDED.

SIR DAVID SAID THEY HAD IMPLEMENTED ALMOST ALL THE 103 INITIATIVES IN LAST YEAR'S POLICY ADDRESS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

"AND ALL THIS WHILST KEEPING THE SIZE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR WELL UNDER CONTROL. HE SAID.

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SIR DAVID SAID IN HIS TERM AS CHIEF SECRETARY, THE GOVERNMENT BUDGET HAD INCREASED BY 56 PER CENT IN REAL TERMS. THE PUBLIC SERVICE HAS GROWN BY ONLY 6.6 PER CENT IN THE SAME PERIOD.

FAIR, OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE LEGISLATURE VITAL TO HK: CS

HONG KONG NEEDS A LEGISLATURE THAT HAS BEEN FAIRLY AND OPENLY ELECTED AS WELL AS IS CLEARLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE IT REPRESENTS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

"BECAUSE UNLESS WE HAVE SUCH A LEGISLATURE IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT ITS RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR, IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MONITOR THE GOVERNMENT EFFECTIVELY, SIR DAVID SAID.

HE ALSO REMINDED THOSE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHO BELIEVE THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGCO HAS NO SIGNIFICANCE IN GUARANTEEING THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AS A BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL CENTRE:

"THE VERY FABRIC OF HONG KONG'S BUSINESS SUCCESS DEPENDS UPON THE FAIRNESS AND OPENNESS OF OUR SYSTEMS, AND THE RULE OF LAW AND THOSE IN TURN DEPEND UPON A LEGISLATURE FAIRLY AND OPENLY ELECTED WHICH ENJOYS THE CONFIDENCE AND RESPECT OF OUR COMMUNITY," HE SAID.

HE ALSO SAID ALTHOUGH CONCRETE STEPS WERE DETAILED BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS THREE WEEKS AGO, THE GAP BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES ON THE FUTURE ELECTION ARRANGEMENTS HAS YET TO CLOSE.

"BUT EVEN AT THIS LATE HOUR, ALL OUR EFFORTS ARE GEARED TO ACHIEVING AGREEMENT, HE SAID.

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0

INFLATION NOT AFFECTING HK'S COMPETITIVENESS

* * * *

HONG KONG'S COMPETITIVENESS HAS SO FAR NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY INFLATION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

SPEAKING IN THE POLICY DEBATE, MR MACLEOD AGREED WITH MEMBERS THAT THE CURRENT RATE OF INFLATION AT NEARLY EIGHT PER CENT WAS HIGH.

STILL

/HE SAID

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