WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980
26
$743 MILLION SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION APPROVED
**** *
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) APPROVED SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS OF $743 MILLION FOR THE THIRD QUARTER TO DECEMBER 31, 1979.
IN MOVING THE MOTION, THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY,
THE HON D.G. JEAFFRESON, SAID THAT OF THIS SUM $564 MILLION WERE PUBLIC WORKS NON-RECURRENT ITEMS AS A RESULT OF RAPID PROGRESS ON A NUMBER OF APPROVED PROJECTS AND THE UPGRADING OF 17 PROJECTS.
OFFSETTING SAVINGS OF $652 MILLION WERE FOUND UNDER VARIOUS SUBHEADS OF EXPENDITURE OR BY FREEZING FUNDS.
OF THE REMAINING $91 MILLION, NOT OFFSET BY SAVINGS, THE MAIN ITEMS INCLUDED $67 MILLION FOR REINFORCEMENT OF THE GARRISON- $10 MILLION FOR INSTALMENT PAYMENT OF NINE MARINE POLICE LAUNCHES- $5 MILLION FOR PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS FOR THREE DEPARTMENTS TO MEET PAY INCREASES, AND $5 MILLION FOR VARIOUS EXPENSES RELATING TO THE MAINTENANCE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
INDUSTRIALISTS URGED TO STEP UP TRAINING EFFORTS
THE NUMBER OF APPRENTICES UNDER TRAINING STILL FALLS SHORT OF THE REQUIREMENT REVEALED BY THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL MANPOWER REPORTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE NON-DESIGNATED SECTIONS, THE HON FRANCIS TIEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE URGED LOCAL INDUSTRIALISTS TO STEP UP THEIR TRAINING EFFORTS AND EXPAND THEIR APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES BY OFFERING MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO APPRENTICES WHO WISH TO MAKE THEIR CAREER IN INDUSTRY.
HE ALSO CALLED ON THEM TO REGISTER THEIR APPRENTICESHIP CONTRACTS UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE.
MR TIEN, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL, WAS SPEAKING AT THE SECOND READING OF THE APPRENTICESHIP (AMENDMENT) BILL WHICH CONTAINED VARIOUS AMENDMENTS DESIGNED TO TIDY UP, REMOVE MINOR ANOMALIES, RECTIFY OMISSIONS AND REFLECT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER LEGISLATIONS GOVERNING THE EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
HE NOTED THAT THE PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE BILL AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE TWO PROVISIONS RELATING TO TECHNICAL EDUCATION WERE EXTENSIVELY DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEE ON APPRENTICESHIP.
+ THE TRAINING COUNCIL IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF GIVING PREFERENCE TO REGISTERED APPRENTICES OVER OTHER APPLICANTS WHEN ALLOCATING PART-TIME DAY-RELEASE PLACES.
THIS IS IN RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR A PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICAL PERSON TO BE CONVERSANT WITH BOTH THE THEORY AND THE PRACTICE OF HIS TRADE.+
THE OPPORTUNITY