TNAG-1860-FCO40-2635-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 24

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THAT, GIVEN MORE WORK HERE AND IN LONDON, THERE IS ADVANTAGE IN ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THIS SCHEME WITH THE OBJECTIVE, AS YOU SIR SAID IN YOUR ADDRESS, OF TRYING TO ENSURE THAT IT IS AS GENEROUS AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT IT IS TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE TAILORED TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES..

IN SELECTING LIKELY BENEFICIARIES, WE HAVE SUGGESTED TO HMG THAT THE SCHEME SHOULD TARGET THOSE OCCUPATIONS IN HONG KONG WHICH ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO SERIOUS DEPLETION THROUGH EMIGRATION, AND THOSE WHICH ARE LIKELY TO BE PUT UNDER PARTICULAR PRESSURE ARISING FROM THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY. A HIGH PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THOSE OCCUPATIONS IT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY EXPENSIVE AND TIME-CONSUMING TO REPLENISH. THE SHCEME SHOULD HAVE SPECIAL REGARD FOR THE DEPENDANTS OF THE PRINCIPAL BENEFICIARIES. WE HAVE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM THE UK CITIZENSHIP SCHEME SHOULD BE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR RATHER THAN IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. USING THESE CRITERIA AND A REASONABLY GENEROUS OVERALL FIGURE, SUCH A SCHEME SHOULD BE ABLE TO RETAIN IN HONG KONG ACTIVE MEMBERS OF A BROAD SPECTRUM OF OCCUPATIONS IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS TO SUSTAIN A VIBRANT ECONOMY AND AN EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION UP TO AND BEYOND 1997. WHILE ANY LIMITED SCHEME IS BOUND TO BE DIVISIVE TO SOME EXTENT WE BELIEVE THAT THE USE OF SUCH CRITERIA WOULD BE MORE READILY UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTABLE BY HONG KONG PEOPLE AND THAT THE SCHEME WOULD BE GENERALLY WELCOMED.

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

SIR, MANY MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG COGENTLY AND WITH GREAT PASSION.

OF COURSE THERE IS UNCERTAINTY, BUT IN LOOKING TO OUR WORRIES FOR THE FUTURE WE CAN TAKE SOME COMFORT FROM THE PAST. WE TEND TO BELIEVE THAT OUR CURRENT PROBLEMS ARE MUCH WORSE THAN THOSE WE HAVE EVER HAD TO FACE BEFORE. OUR MEMORIES TEND TO BLOCK OUT THE BAD TIMES THE MASSIVE INFLUX OF PEOPLE IN THE 1950S, THE MOMENTOUS RIOTS OF 1967 WHEN EVERYONE SAID HONG KONG WAS FINISHED. THE STOCK MARKET CRASH OF 1973 WHEN IT FELL FROM 1700 POINTS TO LESS THAN 200, PRECIPITATED BY THE OIL CRISIS AND A WORLD ECONOMIC RECESSION. THE PROPERTY MARKET DROP OF 40 PERCENT BETWEEN 1983 AND 1984 WHEN TALKS ON THE FUTURE WERE UNDERWAY, AND A DRAMATIC RUN ON THE HONG KONG DOLLAR. BUT DESPITE ALL THOSE DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES TERRIFYING TIMES HONG KONG HAS SURVIVED AND INDEED FLOURISHED.

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