10
SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1979
MORE SUPPORT NEEDED
THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN TOLD THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF ITS LAISSEZ FAIRE COCOON, PARTICULARLY IN ITS ATTITUDE AND APPROACH TOWARDS SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES, IF THE ECONOMY WAS TO REMAIN HEALTHY AND VIGOROUS.
SPEAKING ON SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG AT THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID THERE WAS ALREADY A LOOSE SYSTEM OF SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, AS EXPLAINED IN A REPORT PREPARED BY A TEAM UNDER DR. VICTOR SIT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG'S CENTRE OF ASIAN STUDIES.
THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSCIOUSLY GIVING ENOUGH ATTENTION AND SUPPORT BY EXPLOITING EXISTING FACILITIES MORE FULLY, HE SAID.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE COULD BE GIVEN FURTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO PROVIDE MORE RAPIDLY TECHNICAL INFORMATION, MANPOWER AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY CONTROL, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND OTHER SERVICES TO SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES.
HONG KONG COULD ALSO LEARN FROM JAPAN WHERE THERE WAS A 'SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE AGENCY, WHERE THE CRUCIAL ROLE SMALL BUSINESSES PLAYED EVEN TODAY IN JAPANESE ECONOMY WAS RECOGNISED AND WHERE A VARIETY OF SUPPORT SERVICES, SUCH AS MANAGEMENT DISGNOSING CONSULTANCY, WAS PROVIDED AT LITTLE OR NO COST TO SMALL INDUSTRY.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS WAS THE SHORTAGE OF SUITABLY-SIZED FACTORY UNITS AND ONLY RECENTLY HAD THE GOVERNMENT BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS OF THIS SHORTAGE.
ITS DECISION TO REQUIRE A PROPORTION OF INDUSTRIAL LAND TO BE SOLD IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO HAVE HALF THE ACCOMMODATION IN UNITS NOT EXCEEDING 100 SQ. METRES (1,090 SQ. FT.) WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT IT COULD GO EVEN FURTHER AND ENCOURAGE THE BUILDING OF FLATTED FACTORY COMPLEXES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH MEDIUM AND SMALL-SCALE FACTORIES, WITH NEARBY WAREHOUSE FACILITIES, ROUND-THE-CLOCK SECURITY, BANKING AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
HE HAD PROVIDED THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE WITH A BROCHURE OF ONE SUCH FLATTED FACTORY COMPLEX IN ANOTHER CITY AND HE THOUGHT THE GOVERNMENT COULD DO EVEN BETTER.
IT SHOULD SEEK TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY AND DESIGN SO THAT THE COMPLEXES WILL ATTRACT SMALL-SCALE FACTORIES GEARING UP TO HIGHER TECHNOLOGY, AND IT SHOULD ALSO ENSURE THERE WOULD BE CAPABLE AND PERMANENT MANAGEMENT ONCE THE COMPLEXES WERE COMPLETED.
/HE SAID