THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1978
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WHILE THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DOING QUITE WELL IN THE TRAINING OF QUALIFIED CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EXISTING INDUSTRIES, HE FELT THAT IT SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER WHICH TYPES OF INDUSTRIES ARE TO BE ENCOURAGED IN ORDER TO HAVE SOME IDEA AS TO WHAT TECHNICAL PERSONNEL WE NEED TO TRAIN.
MR. LEE APPROVED OF THE WORK DONE BY THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING CENTRES AND SUPPORTED THE SETTING UP OF TRAINING CENTRES FOR OTHER INDUSTRIES. FOR THIS, HE SUGGESTED THAT THE EXPERIENCE GAINED IN SETTING UP THE FIRST TWO CENTRES COULD BE USED.
HE ALSO ENDORSED OF THE EXISTING APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING SCHEME AND FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT NOW PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE TRAINING OF TECHNICAL PERSONNEL ABOVE THE TECHNICIAN LEVEL TO COPE WITH INDUSTRIAL DIVERSIFICATION.
HE AGREED THAT BENEFITS FOR THE BULK OF OUR WORKERS SHOULD BE IMPROVED BUT AT THE SAME TIME ASKED THAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE ENTREPRENEURS WHO HAVE INVESTED THE IR MONEY AND ENERGY AT THEIR OWN RISKS BE NOT FORGOTTEN.
LIKE MANY INDUSTRIALISTS, HE SAID, HE WAS CONCERNED THAT SOME OF THE RECENT LABOUR LEGISLATIONS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED AND ENFORCED IN A RATHER RUSH MANNER AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT APPEARS TO HAVE TURNED A DEAF EAR TO THE ARGUMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL ISTS AFFECTED BY THOSE LEGISLATIONS.
WHILE MORE BENEFITS SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR OUR WORKERS AS OUR SOCIETY PROGRESSES AND PROSPERS, THESE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO INCREASE TOO RAPIDLY. IN THE LONG RUN, THIS WOULD DAMPEN THE ENTHUSIASM OF OUR INDUSTRIALISTS WHICH IN TURN WOULD AFFECT THE WELL-BEING OF THE WORKERS, HE SAID.
MR. LEE WELCOMED THE NEWS THAT WATER CHARGES WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED, ALTHOUGH THE COST OF OBTAINING WATER FROM CHINA HAS INCREASED.
BESIDES REMOVING THE APPREHENSION OF LOCAL INDUSTRY, IT HAS ALSO BEEN A GREAT RELIEF TO FAMILIES WHO SHARE ONE WATER METER, WHOSE CONSUMPTION OF WATER INEVITABLY EXCEEDS 14 UNITS IN A PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS FOR WHICH A HIGHER FEE IS CHARGEABLE.
HE HOPED THIS UNFAIR PENALTY' ON THESE FAMILIES WOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN ANY INCREASE IN WATER CHARGES IS CONTEMPLATED IN THE FUTURE.
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