UNCLASSIFIED
157045
MDHIAN 3549
TODAY'S PROBLEMS ARE CERTAINLY DIFFERENT. IN FACING UP TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT HONG KONG WILL BE LIKE IN THE FUTURE WE WILL NOT ALWAYS BE ABLE TO PUT OUR FINGER ON PRACTICAL PROBLEMS AND SOLVE THEM WITH OUR USUAL DETERMINATION AND DRIVE.
MANY OF THE WORRIES AND FEARS ARE IN OUR MINDS.
TO DEAL WITH THEM EFFECTIVELY WE MUST NOT ONLY BELIEVE IN OURSELVES, WE MUST CONVINCE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT THEY CAN BELIEVE IN HONG KONG, IN THEIR OWN FUTURE HERE, AND MOST IMPORT- ANTLY IN A FUTURE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THAT REQUIRES
LEADERSHIP.
YOU, SIR, HAVE GIVEN US THE LEAD BY CHARTING THE CLEAREST POSS- IBLE COURSE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO FOLLOW AND WE SHALL RISE
TO THE CHALLENGE. BUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG DOES NOT LIE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ALONE. BY 1997 THERE WILL NO OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL: THAT FORMAL CHANGE, ENSHRINED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, SIGNIFIES A MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WAY HONG KONG IS TO BE GOVERNED, A GROWTH IN THE INFLUENCE OF NON- OFFICIAL MEMBERS AND A NEED FOR LEADERS TO EMERGE FROM THE
COMMUNITY. THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM WILL ENCOURAGE THAT TREND, BUT TO MAKE IT WORK WELL WE NEED RESPONSIBLE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE AND DEVOTE THEIR FULL TIME ENERGIES TO PUBLIC SERVICE. HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE A WELL DESERVED REPUTATION FOR DEVOTING THEIR TIME TO WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE GOOD PEOPLE WILL COME FORWARD TO HELP LEAD HONG KONG INTO THE
NEXT CENTURY.
PROVIDING LEADERSHIP WILL NOT BE EASY. THE POLITICAL AND
OTHER PRESSURES MAY BE GREAT. BUT AS LONG AS WE STICK UNSWERVINGLY TO THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH HONG KONG'S SUCCESS HAS BEEN BUILT, THE RULE OF LAW AND THE FREEDOM OF THE INDIVIDUAL (PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE ENSHRINED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW) WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE BEST HOPE OF HONG KONG'S
SUCCESS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.'
WILSON
YYYY
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