Speech by SLW at opening ceremony of Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, at the opening ceremony of the Mark Six 50th Anniversary Exhibition this afternoon (April 30):
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, Photo by Bastille Post
Winfried (Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges); Adrian (Chairman of the Betting and Lotteries Commission, Mr Adrian Yip); Raymond (Executive Director, Corporate Affairs of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr Raymond Tam), Gabriel (Executive Director, Charities and Community of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Dr Gabriel Leung), Edward (Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To), dear legislators, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Fifty years ago, when Mark Six was conceived, I believe no one could have imagined what a huge success it has become, and also the huge impact it is making on our society. Mark Six has not just become a household name, probably the most well-known household name here in Hong Kong, it has also become part of the daily lexicon and a part of the vocabulary. Probably a lot of people have dreamed about winning Mark Six, day in and day out, and I think this is a very important part of it.
It is with great honour that I join you this afternoon for the opening of this very special exhibition, marking the 50th anniversary of Mark Six. Today is part of the celebration, not just about, as Winfried said, the lottery history, but also about making use of the proceeds from Mark Six that hold countless lives that have been touched, supported, and uplifted through the proceeds of every ticket sold. I would like to invite each of you to take a bit of your time to explore what is on display here, because behind every exhibit here lies a story of hope transformed into social good.
Every time a citizen, you and me, buys a Mark Six ticket, of course this is giving us a hope of winning, for a couple of days or hours. But perhaps less visible but equally important is what happens regardless of the outcome. Every time you buy a ticket, you make a contribution to the community, because all the funding will go towards welfare needs, helping the old, the sick, the disabled, the disadvantaged, and everyone who is in need of whatever kind of welfare services. In this sense, Mark Six is truly remarkable because this is a shared act of participation that generates collective benefit for all of us.
As Winfried has just said, over the past half century, through the Mark Six proceeds, it has generated $30 billion for our Lottery Fund to support 25 000 projects across more than 300 non-government organisations. I think even that $30 billion is understated, because it is not taking into account the time value of money. One dollar in 1976 is not equal to one dollar as of today. So if we translate everything into money of today, it would be far more than $30 billion. Thank you very much to all of us for the contributions we made to Mark Six.
Making use of today's occasion, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for your exemplary stewardship over the past 50 years. Through the close collaboration with the Government and the welfare sector, the Club has ensured that lottery proceeds are channelled responsibly and effectively to help those who are in need. I am sure this enduring partnership will continue, which is also a testament to what can be achieved when public, private, and civil society work together toward a shared mission.
As we mark this golden jubilee, we look forward to an even brighter future. The Government remains firmly committed to working alongside the Hong Kong Jockey Club and also our welfare partners to build on this proud legacy, to ensure that for the next 50 years, we will continue to transform hope into social good for every member of our community.
Thank you very much.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the speech.)
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Photo source: reference image
