XN000022-1995-06-28 — Page 45

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Measure to cope with brain drain problem

Following is a question by the Hon Peter Wong Hong-yuen and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Peter Lai, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Will the Administration inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

of the total number of local residents who have emigrated abroad in the last two years, together with the respective percentages of civil servants and professionals among these emigrants; and

whether it has taken any measures to cope with the brain drain problem; if so, what the measures are?

Reply:

Mr President,

We estimate that about 53,400 persons emigrated from Hong Kong in 1993, and about 61,600 in 1994. Of these numbers, respectively 7.5% in 1993 and 6.5% in 1994 are professionals. Civil servants are not separately identified in our emigration statistics.

As regards the second part of the Honourable Member's question, let me first of all reiterate that Hong Kong does not, and will not prevent its people from emigrating elsewhere. What we seek to do are:

First, to maintain Hong Kong's stability and prosperity so that our citizens can continue to live and to work in an environment which allows them to apply their talents and their expertise, and rewards them for their successes. To this end, we have done a great deal to improve our infrastructure, which is so necessary for our economic development. Our economic and financial policies have also enabled us to enjoy sustained economic growth and sound public finance over the past few years. Hong Kong remains today an attractive place in which to live and work. Indeed, it is at least partly because of the economic opportunities offered by Hong Kong that a fair number of former emigrants, some of them highly educated and professionally trained, have returned here.