我想到把重慶的市長黃奇帆與昔日香港的財政司郭伯偉(Sir John Cowperthwaite, 1915-2006)來一比高下,是源於前文寫《黃奇帆的發展思維與中國的財富累積》時想到一件有趣而且重要的事。黃市長重視經濟數據,記得的數字多得不容易相信,不斷地把不同項目的數字的比例來衡量、思考。郭伯偉呢?他反對看數據,認為經濟情況是好是壞可從感受上知道。是的,郭老當年認為香港政府應該撤銷統計部門!
「We are in the happy position, happier at least for the Financial Secretary where the leverage exercised by Government on the economy is so small that it is not necessary, not even of any particular value, to have these figures available for the formulation of policy. We might indeed be right to be apprehensive lest the availability of such figures might lead, by a reversal of cause and effect, to policies designed to have a direct effect on the economy. I would myself deplore this.」