I
following the formulation and implementation of environmental protection legislation. Sir, I do not object to the provision of reasonable measures to safeguard the workers' interest. also agree that we need to pay for the protection of our natural and ecological environment which belongs to everyone and our offsprings. But I must point out that these requests will inevitably increase the burden of the industrial sector. If the Government only imposes all sorts of restrictions without providing active support concurrently, Hong Kong's industrial sector, especially the small and medium-sized enterprises, will have to face more and more difficulties. When entrepreneurs feel that their profits are at risk, it will
Under such be difficult to urge them to further invest. circumstances, it is impractical to believe that the regulation of the market mechanism will automatically boost industrial investment. I am not exaggerating in order to alarm people but when the entrepreneurs' devire to invest subsides and people
All the are underemployed, our prosperity will be undermined. well-intentioned ideas will then turn out to be detrimental to Hong Kong's overall interest.
3.
Sir, some people accuse the Government of being
I cannot agree. indifferent to the industrial sector. Actually, the Government has provided various back-up services to the industrialists through the Industry Department, Hong Kong Productivity Council and the tertiary education institutions. These support facilities include the Standards and Calibration Laboratory and the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme, a series of reasearch studies on major industries in Hong Kong and the proposed "Science Park". Such efforts should certainly have our affirmation and applause. But the question is: are these efforts made by the Government sufficient? Are these measures effective? It is understood that the promotion campaign launched by the Hong Kong Productivity Council to upgrade the quantity and quality of products had not been as successful as expected and the
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