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Following is the speech by Acting Postmaster General, Mr Allan CHIANG, at the "Christmas Stamps" Issuing Ceremony today (November 24):

Good morning, Bishop Zen, distinguished guests and friends from the media.

Welcome to this issuing ceremony of "Christmas Stamps".

Joy to the world! Christmas is a season of celebration and has become one of the most important festive occasions in the territory. Busy as we are, we all know that it's time for re-union - re-union with friends, with families. Time for us to send our warmest regards to those we become less intimate because of remoteness or so. A call, a brief note, a greeting card, a lovely gadget, anything you could name is just fine, for it shows you care for your beloved. Presently, people still make much use of Hongkong Post's delivery service when they have to send their seasonal cards or Christmas gifts.

Here at Hongkong Post, we all understand that every single mail we take or deliver is a token of love, a token of blessing. It is with this belief that our staff takes great pleasure in assuming the role of love messengers even at a cost of heavier workload ever since the pre-festive peak as early as late November. Because of such demand, some of our key staff are disallowed to take leave during this peak season, save on exceptional cases. Nonetheless, nobody has ever uttered a word of discontent for this no-leave stipulation and I'm really proud of this.

Just as the inscription on the wooden plague over my head reads, "As Cold Waters to a Thirsty Soul, So is Good News from a Far Country.", every staff of Hongkong Post has taken this motto quoted from the Biblical Proverbs to their hearts for it truly reflects the importance of our role to clients in need of our service.

As time goes by, we take in new challenges and have different start-ups apart from our core business of conventional delivery. We always try something new, something different. Let's take these four stamps for example. Classic icons like snowman, Christmas tree and ornaments though are used for the design, new elements of double perforation and silver foil are introduced to make the stamps more festive and more fresh. Buy a few and surprise your beloved with such innovative stamps. If you're still looking for other finest produce, take some steps down to our Postshop on the ground floor. You will get all that you have been in search for a long time.

Thank you.

End/ Sunday, November 24, 2002

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