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THURSDAY, MARCE 29, 1979
HE ASKED FOR A FRESH LOOK INTO THE NEED FOR REPHASING THE PROGRAMME.
+ IF THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WAS OVER-HEATED IN 1978-79, THE ADDITIONAL $754 MILLION WORTH OF WORK FOR THE COMING YEAR, EVEN ALLOWING FOR INFLATION, IS HARDLY GOING TO HELP RESTORÉ EQUILIBRIUM, HE SAID.
HE FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT TO AVOID EMBARKING ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS ON THE BASIS OF UNREALISTIC COST ESTIMATES, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET UP A TECHNICAL AUDIT SYSTEM TO ENSURE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF ITS TECHNICAL DEPARTMENTS.
HE THOUGHT THE PRINCIPLE OF ACCOUNTABILITY CAN BE APPLIED IN THOSE PROJECTS HANDLED BY CONSULTANTS IF THE EXTRA COST COULD BE THE RESULT OF EITHER OVERSIGHT OR EVEN INCOMPETENCE ON THEIR PART.
ON THE ACUTE MANPOWER SHORTAGE SITUATION, MR. CHEN SAID IT WILL NOT IMPROVE FOR TWO REASONS: THE FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO OBTAIN EDUCATION AND A GROWING PREFERENCE FOR LEISURE BY WORKERS.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE WORK FORCE AVAILABLE AND THIS MEANS INTENSIVE TRAINING, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT TRAINED TECHNICAL MANPOWER IS PARTICULARLY LACKING BECAUSE SOMEONE WHO HAS ONLY COMPLETED A COURSE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION BUT WITHOUT PRACTICAL TRAINING IS OF LITTLE USE TO INDUSTRY.
MANY EMPLOYERS RESORT TO POACHING WHICH LEADS TO ESCALATING WAGES. OTHERS MAY LOWER THEIR RECRUITMENT REQUIREMENTS WHICH LEAD TO LOWER PRODUCTIVITY, POORER PRODUCT QUALITY AND HIGHER PRODUCTION COSTS.
HE THEREFORE REPEATED AN EARLIER CALL ON THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE A SYSTEM OF PRACTICAL TRAINING TO MATCH ITS TECHNICAL EDUCATION SYSTEM WHICH HE THOUGHT IS NOW ADEQUATE.
GOVT URGED TO STICK TO MODERATE, GRADUAL APPROACH ******
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT MODIFY ITS HITHERTO MODERATE AND GRADUAL APPROACH DESPITE THE VIEW OF SOME PEOPLE IN FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCLES THAT THE MEASURES PROPOSED TO CORRECT THE IMBALANCE IN THE ECONOMY ARE INADEQUATE, THE HON. WONG LAM SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).
HE SAID NO ECONOMIC THEORY CAN DO AWAY WITH THE HUMAN FACTOR AND STAND ALONE AND THAT IS WHY, BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE, THE EFFECTS OF ANY ECONOMIC MEASURE ON THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE SHOULD FIRST BE CONSIDERED.
+CHER-DRASTIC