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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1979.
* SCHEMES PROPOSED FOR OTHER INDUSTRIES-
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AN INDUSTRY-WIDE SCHEME TO PROVIDE SOUND BASIC PRACTICAL TRAINING IN KEY ENGINEERING TRADES TO TRAINEES AND,
ANOTHER INDUSTRY-WIDE SCHEME TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR ENGINEERING GRADUATES.
MR. TIEN GAVE FOUR REASONS FOR PREFERING A GENERAL LEVY TO INDIVIDUAL LEVIES:
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IT IS THE FAIREST WAY OF SHARING THE TOTAL COST OF TRAINING, PARTICULARLY OF MANPOWER NEEDED BY ALL INDUSTRIES AND THE COMMERCIAL AND SERVICE SECTORS.
IT WOULD BE SIMPLER TO ADMINISTER - ITS COLLECTION IS MORE STRAIGHT FORWARD AND IT WOULD ENABLE THE BODY ADMINISTER ING THE SCHEME TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO THE MANPOWER TRAINING NEEDS OF THE ECONOMY.
A GENERAL LEVY IS ALSO MORE ECONOMICAL TO COLLECT AND TO ADMINISTER THAN INDIVIDUAL LEVIES, WHICH MAY BE DIFFERENTLY BASED AND MANAGED BY INDIVIDUAL BODIES.
THE GOVERNMENT'S PREFERENCE FOR A SINGLE BODY TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING RATHER THAN A HOST OF STATUTORY BODIES LOOKING AFTER
INDIVIDUAL SCHEMES.
MR. TIEN POINTED OUT THAT THE CONCEPT OF A GENERAL LEVY WAS FIRST PROPOSED BY SIR S.Y. CHUNG, +AN EMINENT AND FAR-SIGHTED
INDUSTRIAL IST, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1975, AND EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT HE WAS RIGHT.
IN THE VIEW OF SIR SZE-YUEN, HE SAID, A GENERAL LEVY IS MORE DESIRABLE BECAUSE IT WOULD ENABLE TRAINING TO BE SO ORGANISED THAT THE OVERALL NEEDS CAN BEST BE MET AND WOULD AVOID PROLIFERATION OF TRAINING AUTHORITIES AND TRAINING CENTRES AND A TOO HEAVY BURDEN ON THE SMALLER INDUSTRIES WHICH ALSO NEED TRAINED MANPOWER.
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MR. TIEN ENDORSED THE POLICY OF DIVIDING RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY — THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE +THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE AT ALL LEVELS AND SUCH PRACTICAL TRAINING AS IS NECESSARY TO ILLUSTRATE THE THEORY, AND INDUSTRY TO ACCEPT +THE FULL COST OF PROVIDING PRACTICAL TRAINING, WHETHER IT BE GIVEN IN INDUSTRIAL PREMISES OR IN TRAINING CENTRES,+ INCLUDING THE CAPITAL AND RECURRENT COSTS OF THESE CENTRES.
THE POLICY IS FAIR AND SENSIBLE BECAUSE THE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRODUCING TECHNICAL MANPOWER IS, AS IT SHOULD BE, SHARED BETWEEN ORDINARY TAXPAYERS AND EMPLOYERS WHO ARE USERS OF SUCH MANPOWER, HE SAID.
IN ANY EVENT, HE ADDED, THE BULK OF THE TRAINING, TO BE USEFUL AND EFFECTIVE, MUST BE DONE IN INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CENTRES, WHERE ACTUAL INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS CAN BE SIMULATED, OR IN INDUSTRY ITSELF.
/90 URGEN