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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1979
COMPREHENSIVE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEME URGENTLY REQUIRED
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A COMPREHENSIVE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEME MUST BE IMPLEMENTED RAPIDLY, TO KEEP PACE WITH AND TO MAKE UP FOR GROUND LOST DUE TO GROWING COMPETITION FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, THE HON. ALLEN LEE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON,
+ IT CANNOT BE EMPHASISED STRONGLY ENOUGH THAT WE MUST RAISE THE LEVEL OF SKILL OF OUR INDUSTRIAL WORKERS QUICKLY, IF WE ARE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE YEARS TO COME.
+LOW-END PRODUCTS WILL BE OUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT ON THE ONE HAND, WE HAVE GROWING COMPETITION FROM COUNTRIES SUCH AS INDONESIA, PHILIPPINES, MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE, ON THE OTHER, OUR EXPORT PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN OUTSTRIPPED IN RECENT YEARS BY COMPETITORS LIKE TAIWAN AND SOUTH KOREA. IN ADDITION, THE MODERNISATION OF CHINA REPRESENTS INTENSE COMPETITION FOR OUR LOW-END PRODUCTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
HE WAS THEREFORE EAGER TO KNOW THE VIEWS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION ON HOW TO FINANCE A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING SCHEME WHICH HE SAID MUST BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ON LABOUR LEGISLATION, MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT INDUSTRIALISTS HERE ACCEPT AND WELCOME SUCH LEGISLATION TO PROTECT WORKERS AND IMPROVE THE IR WORKING CONDITIONS. INDEED WITHOUT SKILLED LABOUR, THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY WOULD BE IMPEDED,+ HE SAID.
+
HE SAID IT WAS WORTH REMEMBERING THAT SUCH LEGISLATION MUST BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF HONG KONG, TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED VIABILITY OF ITS INDUSTRY- AND THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION SO WELL APPLIED BY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE
CONTINUED.
MR. LEE COMMENTED ON FOUR ASPECTS OF THE ECONOMY. HE SAID IT CANNOT BE DENIED THAT THE MONETARY MEASURES TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE MARKED RISE IN EXPORT PERFORMANCE, ALTHOUGH THERE IS ALSO THE FACT THAT THIS IS TRADITIONALLY A HIGH SEASON.
HE STRESSED THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE NEED TO CURB INFLATION, CURRENTLY RUNNING AT ABOUT 11 PER CENT. A STRONG HONG KONG DOLLAR, TO BE ACHIEVED BY INCREASED EXPORT-EARNINGS, SHOULD HELP TOWARDS CONTROLLING IMPORTED INFLATION, AND DOMESTIC INFLATION COULD BE EASED BY DISCOURAGING SPECULATION.
SINCE THE OIL SITUATION PLAYS A DOMINANT ROLE IN OUR ECONOMY, HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO FORMULATE AN ENERGY POLICY, WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO THE USE OF OIL BY PUBLIC UTILITIES, THEN INDUSTRY, AND THIRDLY TO DOMESTIC HOUSEHOLDS. HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT COULD INTRODUCE AND PROMOTE ENERGY SAVING MEASURES AND EXPAND OIL STORAGE FACILITIES THROUGH AN ENERGY POLICY COMMITTEE, WORKING IN CONSULTATION WITH ESTABLISHED INSTITUTES.
/AS TC