WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9. 1977
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+THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL IN DEVISING TRAINING FACILITIES FOR THE NEW AND MORE COMPLEX SKILLS NEEDED AS INDUSTRY EXPANDS AND CHANGES WILL BE INVALUABLE.+ HE SAID.
TURNING TO INDUSTRIAL SAFETY MR. WILLIAMS SAID IT WAS A LONG PROCESS OF EDUCATION, REGULATION, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND ADDED THAT A FIRMER POLICY OF PROSECUTION WAS NEEDED WHERE ADVICE, EXPLANATION AND WARNING DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
HOWEVER, HE CONCEDED THAT IN THE END SUCCESS IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY WORK RESTS WITH EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS RECOGNISING THAT IT WAS ENTIRELY IN THEIR OWN INTERESTS TO AIM AT AND ACHIEVE SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS AND PRACTICES.
HE SAID HIS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE RECRUITING MORE STAFF 20 OR SO ASSISTANT FACTORY INSPECTORS THIS YEAR AND AT LEAST 30 MORE NEXT YEAR -- TO STRENGTHEN, IMPROVE AND ENHANCE THE STATUS AND PRESTIGE OF THE FACTORATE INSPECTORATE.
ONE HUNDRED LABOUR INSPECTORS, IN TWO BATCHES OF 50, WILL ALSO BE RECRUITED. THIS INCREASE REPRESENTS A FIRST PHASE NEEDED TO COVER EXPANDING INDUSTRY AND TO CARRY LABOUR INSPECTION INTO THE NON-INDUSTRIAL SECTOR.
FOR THE ASSISTANT LABOUR OFFICER GRADE THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE RECRUITING ABOUT 20 THIS YEAR AND ANOTHER 40 NEXT YEAR.
MR. WILLIAMS SAID THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, LIKE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, FACED STIFF COMPETITION IN ATTRACTING THE KIND OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN NEEDED AND THEREFORE A REVIEW ON THE DUTIES OF THIS GRADE OF OFFICERS WAS BEING CARRIED OUT TO SEE IF CHANGES WERE NEEDED TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THEM.
HE THEN REFERRED TO THE MANY ASPECTS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK, ALL OF WHICH HE SAID HAD DEVELOPED DURING THE PAST YEAR.
HE GAVE PARTICULAR MENTION TO THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE IN THE IR HANDLING OF LABOUR DISPUTES.
+ INDEED I AM PARTICULARLY GLAD TO SAY HOW UNSPECTACULARLY LABOUR DISPUTES HAVE FIGURED DURING THE LAST YEAR, HE SAID.
+THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN BY ITSELF AND MUCH CREDIT IS DUE TO THE PRECAUTIONARY AND PREVENTIVE -- BUT LOW-PROFILE - DAMPENING OF POTENTIAL BRUSH-FIRES'.+
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