Finally, Sir, I would like to lend my support to the setting up of a committee to look into the feasibility and advisability of the Border Industrial Zone as advocated by my
This colleagues, the Hon Sir S Y CHUNG and the Hon Allen LEE. concept could be of vital long term importance to Hong Kong. It should not be dismissed as just a means through which industrialist would simply make more profits without due consideration given to the welfare of our workforce. Given Hong Kong's full employment situation and hopefully, we will be able to maintain at this satisfactory state of affairs, any further long term development of our manufacturing base will need to look seriously into fine tuning of our production methods. Knitting of Panels for the Sweater Industry is a case in point. For the past few years, our workforce in the knitwear sector had fared relatively well simply because there were no problems of supply of panels being fed into our production lines in Hong Kong. Now that the U.S. had chosen to change the rules unilaterally, our workforce will definitely be faced with adjustments problems which may lead to adverse effects on their employment opportunities. Surely, under such circumstances, there would be a case for serious thoughts on how best Hong Kong can do in order to provide some stability to the situation. We ask no more than the setting up of a committee to look into the concept seriously. Being your advisers, it would be remiss of us if we do not voice our ideas for the Administration's careful consideration. I sincerely
hope that Government would be open minded enough to refrain from torpedoing the concept with just a stereotype response.
Sir, with these remarks, I support the moion.