WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1978
IN THE WAY OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE AND INVOLVEMENT, OUR COMPETITORS HAVE AN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WHICH CARRIES OUT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR INDUSTRY, AND AN
INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY TO ASSIST IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
THEY ALSO HAVE AN ELECTRONIC TECHNICIAN TRAINING CENTRE AND A FINE INSTRUMENT CENTRE, BOTH SET UP WITH PUBLIC FUNDS.
+ IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG, THE QUESTION NOW IS NOT WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BUT TO WHAT EXTENT THE INVOLVEMENT SHOULD BE, HE SAID.
SIR SZE-YUEN REFERRED TO THE WORK OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL DIVERSIFICATION, WHICH HAD MET SIX TIMES SINCE LAST OCTOBER AND EXPECTED SEVEN MORE MEETINGS DURING THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
HE THOUGHT THE COMMITTEE HAD NO EASY TASK AND SHOULD NOT BE PUSHED INTO DRAWING SUPERFICIAL CONCLUSIONS AND MAKING HASTY RECOMMENDATIONS.
+THE FORMULATION OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC POLICIES IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON THE FINDINGS AND PROPOSALS OF THIS COMMITTEE, HE SAID.
SIR SZE-YUEN SPOKE ON HONG KONG'S FRESH WATER SUPPLY AND WATER CHARGES, WHICH HE SAID HAD DRAWN MOST FREQUENT PUBLIC COMMENT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
ON WATER CHARGES, HE SAID THE MORE URGENT PROBLEM IS HOW TO BE FAIRER TO THOSE WHO LIVE IN FLATS WITHOUT INDIVIDUAL WATER METERS AND THOSE FAMILIES WHO SHARE ONE APARTMENT AND ONE METER.
HE NOTED THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S ESTIMATES OF DEFICITS IN WATERWORKS ACCOUNTS IN THE CURRENT AND COMING FINANCIAL YEARS.
HE POINTED OUT HOWEVER, THAT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF WATERWORKS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED ON MANY OCCASIONS TO PROVIDE SUPPLY ON DEMAND BY ALLOWING SUPPLY TO LAG BEHIND, AND HAS FAILED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT TO ACHIEVE THE LOWEST COSTS AND CHARGES.
THESE, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING AN EFFICIENT, DEPENDABLE AND QUALITY SERVICE, ARE BASIC OBJECTIVES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES.
QUOTING COMPARATIVE COST FIGURES, SIR SZE-YUEN SHOWED THAT OF OUR THREE SOURCES OF SUPPLY, WATER FROM THE EAST RIVER, AT $3.47 PER THOUSAND GALLONS $0.25 IN CAPITAL COST PLUS $3.22 IN RECURRENT COST), GIVES THE MOST ECONOMICAL OPTIMUM. IT IS ALSO MUCH MORE DEPENDABLE THAN CONVENTIONAL RESERVOIRS AS IT NEVER DRIES UP.
HE SAID IT WAS GRATIFYING TO LEARN THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAVE AGREED TO INCREASE THEIR SUPPLY TO 30,000 MILLION GALLONS DURING THE CURRENT PERIOD AND TO 37.000 MILLION GALLONS ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, MAKING MAXIMUM USE OF THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF EXISTING PIPELINES.
/IT WOULD SEEM