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ASSISTANCE TO SMALL-SCALE BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES
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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, THE HON. WILLIAM DORWARD, SAID THE ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY OF HONG KONG'S SMALL INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR EXPORT GROWTH AND THAT THE VARIOUS FORMS OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE HAVE SERVED THEM ADEQUATELY,
SPEAKING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR. THE HON. HENRY HU, MR. DORWARD SAID: +DEPENDING ON THE DEFINITION ONE CHOOSES, NEARLY ALL INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN HONG KONG COULD BE DESCRIBED AS SMALL. FACTORIES WITH LESS THAN 50 WORKERS, FOR EXAMPLE, ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 90 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL. I HAVE NO COMPARABLE STATISTICS FOR NON-INDUSTRIAL BUSINESSES. BUT I AM SURE THE RATIO OF SMALL UNITS TO BIG WOULD BE EVEN HIGHER.+
HE SAID IT COULD THEREFORE BE SAID THAT VIRTUALLY ANY ASSISTANCE THE GOVERNMENT RENDERS TO TRADE AND INDUSTRY BENEFITS SMALL UNITS.
+ASSISTANCE IS GIVEN MAINLY THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF STATUTORY BODIES WHICH GOVERNMENT SUBVENTS OR OTHERWISE SUPPORTS. THESE.. INCLUDE THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED WITH SMALL TO MEDIUM OPERATIONS PRIMARILY IN MIND AND WHICH CONTINUES TO PLACE GREAT EMPHASIS ON SERVING THIS SECTOR. IT CATERS, THROUGH COURSES, IN-PLANT TRAINING, CONSULTANCY AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICES, TO THE NEEDS OF BOTH INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE.
+THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL'S WORK IN PROMOTING EXPORTS BY SUCH MEANS AS MISSIONS, TRADE FAIRS AND DISSEMINATION OF TRADE ENQUIRIES IS WELL ENOUGH KNOWN NOT TO NEED REHEARSAL HERE. THE SAME I THINK IS TRUE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF SUCH BODIES AS THE EXPORT CREDIT INSURANCE CORPORATION AND THE PACKAGING AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN COUNCILS.+
AS REGARDS FINANCE, MR. DORWARD SAID HE REPORTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JULY 21, 1976 THAT A LOANS FOR SMALL INDUSTRY SCHEME, WHICH HAD BY THEN BEEN RUNNING FOR FOUR YEARS, WAS BEING DISCONTINUED DUE TO LACK OF DEMAND.
+ONLY 10 LOANS WERE MADE DURING ITS LIFE, APPARENTLY BEARING OUT THE CONTENTION OF THOSE WHO HAD SAID FROM THE OUTSET THAT THE HONG KONG BANKING SYSTEM WAS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE FACILITIES. I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED, AS WITNESS THE CURRENT LIQUIDITY OF THE BANKS AND THE IR RELATIVELY LOW PRIME RATE.+
+SMALL INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES ARE THE SINEWS OF HONG KONG. IT IS THE IR ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY WHICH HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR EXPORT GROWTH. I BELIEVE THE VARIOUS FORMS OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT ASSISTANCE SO FAR GIVEN THEM BY GOVERNMENT HAVE SERVED THEM ADEQUATELY AND THE LIST 1.HAVE GIVEN HAS BEEN INDICATIVE RATHER THAN EXHAUSTIVE, FOR I HAVE NOT EVEN MENTIONED, FOR EXAMPLE, TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
MR. DORWARD ADDED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY DEEPLY FELT DEFICIENCIES IN THE PRESENT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. THE NEED FOR EXPANSION OF SUCH ASSISTANCE, IN SCOPE OR FORM, TO KEEP PACE WITH THE CHANGING REQUIREMENTS OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY WILL, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO BE KEPT UNDER REVIEW.
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