XN000022-1994-10-12 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1994

"THEN WE

CALCULATE HOW MUCH MONEY WILL

BE NEEDED TO FUND EXISTING SERVICES, OR TO MEET KNOWN COMMITMENTS SUCH AS NEW SCHOOLS OR HOSPITALS COMING ON STREAM.

"BY DEDUCTING ONE FIGURE FROM THE OTHER, WE CAN DEDUCE HOW MUCH

HE SAID. SPARE MONEY IS AVAILABLE TO START NEW PROGRAMMES,'

rt

MR TSANG SAID THE GOVERNMENT FOLLOWED THE SAME PROCEDURE YEAR THAT IT HAD FOLLOWED FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

HE ADDED THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE COULD BE NO THERE WERE CHECKING MECHANISMS IN PLACE.

THIS

OVERSIGHTS,

"BEFORE THE GOVERNOR STOOD UP TO SPEAK LAST WEEK, EVERY LINE OF AT HIS DRAFT SPEECH HAD BEEN CAREFULLY SCRUTINISED BY FINANCE BRANCH. HIS REQUEST.

"EVERY PROMISE,

EVERY PROPOSAL, EVERY

OUR

COMMITMENT, IS FULLY COVERED BY OUR PLANNING FORECASTS. AND WE HAVE NOT DEVIATED FROM BUDGETARY GUIDELINES BY SO MUCH AS A SINGLE DOLLAR.

"INDEED, MANY

SPENDING ENOUGH.

"THE GOVERNMENT

PEOPLE IN HONG KONG BELIEVE THAT

WE ARE

NOT

THEREFORE SPEND MUST

IS

FOR

EXPENDITURE WHERE JUSTIFIED AND AFFORDABLE, BUT IT MUST ALSO ENSURE THE BEST VALUE

WE HAVE WRITTEN NO BLANK MONEY AND REFUSE TO BE IMPRUDENT. HE SAID.

CHEQUES,

HONG TERMS OF FOR MANY

MR TSANG SAID THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE WAS MADE UP OF KONG PEOPLE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM WERE ON PENSIONABLE SERVICE AND WOULD STILL BE WORKING, OR DRAWING A PENSION, YEARS AFTER 1997.

DUTY,

OUR ENSURING

CIVIL THAT

"EVEN LEAVING ASIDE THEIR SENSE OF PUBLIC SERVANTS THEREFORE HAVE A DIRECT PERSONAL INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S PUBLIC FINANCES CONTINUE TO BE MANAGED PRUDENTLY.

"IT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT, AND THE SECURITY OF THEIR PENSIONS.

"SO

THEIR OWN CONTINUED

IF YOU SENSE HE SAID.

TO THOSE WHO STILL HAVE THEIR DOUBTS, I SAY THIS: CANNOT BELIEVE IN OUR ALTRUISM, AT LEAST HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR

IT IS THE MOST BASIC INSTINCT OF ALL, OF SELF PRESERVATION,

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