XN000022-1994-03-16 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1994

QUESTION : WHAT DOES THE GOVERNMENT DO TO TACKLE THE DISCRIMINATION AMONG THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

GOVERNOR

•

•

THAT WAS A SUBJECT WHICH CAME UP PRINCIPALLY IN THE SEMINAR THAT WE HAD ON THE DISABLED AND EMPLOYMENT. WE ARE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE EMPLOY IN GOVERNMENT MORE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY AND WE HOPE THAT PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS WILL TAKE THE SAME VIEW AND WE DISCUSSED AT THAT LAST SEMINAR A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES WHICH WE THINK CAN USEFULLY BE TAKEN. AS FOR OTHER FORMS OF PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION, WE HAVE TO COMBAT THEM AS LIBBY WONG HAS BEEN DOING AS VIGOROUSLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE. DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE ABOUT DISABILITY SIMPLY SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY PART IN A CIVILISED SOCIETY LIKE THIS ONE. I'M VERY STRUCK AS I GO AROUND THE COMMUNITY BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO GIVE VOLUNTARILY THEIR TIME AND THEIR ENERGY THEIR COMMITMENT TO HELP THOSE WITH DISABILITY AND I THINK REPRESENT FAR MORE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY VIEW OF PEOPLE KONG THAN SOME OF THOSE WHO SHOW UNFORTUNATE PREJUDICE FROM TIME. THANKS VERY MUCH INDEED.

IN

AND THEY

HONG

TIME TO

BUDGET A FINE BALANCING ACT * * * * *

IN FORMULATING THE ANNUAL BUDGET, A CAREFUL BE STRUCK BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL REALITIES AND THE COMMUNITY'S ASPIRATIONS ON THE OTHER, THE TREASURY, MR DONALD TSANG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

BALANCE

NEEDS TO ON THE ONE HAND SECRETARY FOR THE

MR TSANG SAID THE 1994/95 BUDGET REPRESENTED A WELL-STRUCTURED PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS TO DEAL WITH HONG KONG'S REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE REQUIREMENTS, NOT ONLY FOR THE COMING YEAR BUT ALSO WITH AN EYE OPEN FOR THE YEARS AHEAD.

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONG FINANCIAL EXECUTIVES INSTITUTE, HE SAID THE BUDGET WAS A COHERENT PACKAGE WHICH NEEDED TO BE EXAMINED AND ADDRESSED AS A WHOLE, WITH DUE REGARD TO BE GIVEN TO ITS OVERALL STRATEGY AND CONTEXT.

HE SAID IN FRAMING THE ANNUAL BUDGET, THE GOVERNMENT THREE MAIN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES.

FOLLOWED

THE FIRST ONE IS THAT PUBLIC SPENDING MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO GROW FASTER THAN THE ECONOMY.

THE SECOND ONE IS THAT SUFFICIENT

REVENUE MUST BE RAISED

TO COVER THE SPENDING COMMITMENTS.

THE THIRD ONE IS THAT ADEQUATE RESERVES MUST BE MAINTAINED TO MEET KNOWN COMMITMENTS AND TO PROVIDE A CUSHION AGAINST FUTURE UNCERTAINTIES.

MR TSANG NOTED THAT THE PROCESS ALSO INVOLVED PREPARING A MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST, CONSULTATIONS WITH LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS POLITICAL PARTIES, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OTHER INTEREST GROUPS.

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