FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1980
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JOIN VOICES TOGETHER, SAYS TICD DIRECTOR
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THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR BILL DORWARD, TODAY URGED THAT HONG KONG'S TEXTILE AND GARMENT MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS SHOULD LET THEIR VIEWS BE HEARD ON THE EFFECT ON THEIR TRADE OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS' POLICIES.
REFERRING TO MISS LYDIA DUNN'S +SPIRITED PRESENTATION OF YOUR SIDE OF THE STORY+ TO AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TEXTILES IN BRUSSELS YESTERDAY, MR DORWARD SAID: +1 AM NOT ADVOCATING A STREAM OF COMPLAINT AND CONTENTION, BUT RATHER A CANDID APPRECIATION OF WHAT GOVERNMENT POLICIES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE DONE AND ARE DOING TO YOUR TRADE.+
OPENING THE NEW OFFICES OF THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG GARMENT MANUFACTURERS, MR DORWARD CONTINUED +WE VERY OFTEN READ THE WELL PUBLICISED VIEWS OF AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN INDUSTRIALISTS AND ASSOCIATIONS. THEY PRODUCE SPEECHES AND GLOSSY PUBLICATIONS WHICH GET WIDE COVERAGE. IN CONTRAST THE HONG KONG TRADE AND INDUSTRY BY AND LARGE, GETS ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS, AND LEAVES THE POLICY STATEMENTS TO THE OFFICIALS.
+ UNDERSTAND YOUR NATURAL INCLINATION TO DO SO, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WORK SO HARD AND EFFECTIVELY TO MANUFACTURE AND SELL YOUR PRODUCTS, BUT I SUGGEST THAT IT WOULD BE NO BAD THING IF THE WORLD HEARD FROM YOU A BIT MORE OFTEN,
HE SAID THAT MISS DUNN HAD MADE A PLEA FOR A FACTUAL EXAMINATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE GOVERNMENTS' POLICIES AND AS PREREQUISITE TO DISCUSSION OF FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS.
+I BELIEVE THAT YOUR FEDERATION AND THE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS IN THE HONG KONG TEXTILE AND GARMENT INDUSTRIES COULD CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO SUCH AN EFFORT. +
MR DORWARD REFERRED TO AN ELEGANTLY PRODUCED AND WELL PRESENTED STATEMENT OF THE VIEWS OF THE BRITISH TEXTILE CONFEDERATION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES IN THE 1980'S.
+ SUGGEST THAT THIS FEDERATION COOPERATES WITH OTHER INTERESTED BODIES IN HONG KONG TO PRODUCE SOMETHING OF THE KIND GIVING YOUR VIEWS. IT WOULD GIVE A COUNTERBALANCE TO THE STATEMENT BY THOSE WHO TAKE A DIFFERENT STANCE- AND WHOSE OPINIONS ARE SO OFTEN WIDELY REPORTED.+
/HE SAID