TNAG-1310-FCO40-1667-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 253

72

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL -- 14 March 1984

inexhaustible fortune, we should never embark on any high risk investment en though the profit may be enormous. Subject to the various limitations, w only make progress steadily. We should treasure our resources and reorganize our internal structure so as to prepare ourselves for the future. So I hope that all young people and those full of ideals will not act with undue haste. Only when we can match our ideals with reality will we be able to help Hong Kong to a new starting-point.

Sir, with these remarks, I support the motion.

Mrs. NG delivered her speech in Cantonese:-

督憲閣下:有關香港前途問題,因為是英國與中國在談判,所以很多香港人都將他們對這 問題的意見,集中在英國或中國在這談判過程中做得對與否。我們經常聽見有人批評英國 過度保密;對香港五百萬人惶恐的心情不顧。他們也表示懷疑英國對香港的道義責任。我 們也會聽見有人說,中國對香港前途的多項聲明,雖然由初時的「收回主權」,漸變為「保 持香港制度不變」,再變為「保證五十年制度不變」,也沒有減去他們對這些聲明的疑懼

。就是在今天,還有人對羅先生在本局所提的動議存疑,對動議目的議論紛紛。

為甚麼香港人對甚麼都存疑呢?因為我們未成熟。香港的政制體系一向都是無風無浪, 因此我們沒有經驗,沒有信心自己是否有能力影響自己的將來。不過,就是因為我們沒有 信心,可能影響將來的機會也會失去,甚至帶來嚴重的後果。

一個人對某些事情產生懷疑後,會有兩個可能的反應,一個是對可能出現的後果產生恐 懼,另一個是採取主動,力求知道結果,如果結果是未如理想的話,便試圖加以改善。根 據我前些時所舉的例子,我相信香港有很多人對香港前途的可能發展存有懷疑。但我極希 望他們有積極的反應,所以我贊成今次的動議,因為它可以起領導作用,帶領大家前往一 個新的領域,一個真真正正積極而-

滿信心的將來。

因聽到一些不利的謠傳而拋售港元或到超級市場搶購物品,祇會形成「自我靈驗的噩耗」 使惡夢成真。

督憲閣下,本人謹此陳辭,支持動議。

(The following is the interpretation of what Mrs. NG said.)

Sir, on the issue of Hong Kong's future, as the negotiations are held between China and Britain, many Hong Kong people concentrated their views on whether or not China and Britain are doing the right thing. We often heard criticisms that Britain is over conservative and that the anxiety of the 5 million Hong Kong people is not being taken into account. The critics also doubt Britain's moral obligations to Hong Kong. We also often heard many people say that the many statements issued by China on Hong Kong's future, starting with 'recovering sovereignty' at the beginning, changing to ‘maintaining the Hong Kong system unchanged' and further to 'guaranteeing the system unchanged for 50 years', did little to allay their fears. Even today some people still have reservations on Mr. LOBO's motion in this Council and speculates on its purpose.

Why Hong Kong people have doubts on everything? It is because we are not mature. Our administrative system has never encountered any stormy events, so