18
Following establishment of the task force, a number of companies and individuals contacted the Government to offer comments and advice. All such approaches were followed up. Formal liaison with the private sector began on 7 October 1988 when representatives of 10 organisations (Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Hong Kong Management Association, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Chinese Manufacturers' Assocation of Hong Kong, American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong Institute of Personal Management, Hong Kong Association of Banks and the Employers' Federation of Hong Kong) attended a meeting in the Government Secretariat. The representatives generally confirmed that Government's
findings corresponded with their own impression. Their general assessment of the current position was
(a)
there had been considerable losses of skilled personnel to emigration and the middle 1 evel had been disproportionately
management affected;
(b)
the se
(c)
(a)
losses had compounded the
problems
brought on by successive years of substantial economic growth and the rapid
the rapid staff
staff turnover which had resulted;
the situation was just about manageable at current levels but there was concern that existing staff resources had been stretched virtually to their utmost in some sectors and that any further deterioration in the situation could give rise to a considerable loss of efficiency; and
the sectors particularly hard hit were banking and computing.
The representatives also made a number of suggestions on action that might be taken. These are incorporated elsewhere in this
Memorandum.
Opportunities for Emigration
19
The immigration policies of the three main destination countries differ but recent changes have resulted in additional opportunities for Hong Kong people to emigrate to all of them.