TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1981
SIR MURRAY: HK MUST KEEP AHEAD OF MARKET FASHIONS
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IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP AHEAD OF CONSTANTLY CHANGING MARKET TASTES AND FASHIONS IN THE MORE DIFFICULT MARKET CONDITIONS IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE TOLD A CONGREGATION OF TRADE" AND INDUSTRY LEADERS THIS EVENING.
SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE 12TH ANNUAL GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HK DESIGN AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SIR MURRAY ADDED THAT THESE CONDITIONS SEEMED LIKELY TO CONTINUE AT LEAST DURING THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS OF THE YEAR.
HE POINTED OUT THAT OUR ECONOMIC SUCCESS HAD BEEN DUE, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, TO AN ABILITY TO ADAPT TO CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES QUICKER THAN OUR COMPETITORS.
+TO KEEP AHEAD OF THE CONSTANTLY CHANGING TASTES AND FASHIONS IN OUR MARKETS MEANS NOT ONLY CONTINUOUS AND INTENSE MARKET RESEARCH, BUT INVESTMENT IN DESIGN AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THOSE WITH CREATIVE TALENTS, AND OF COURSE THE FLEXIBILITY OF PRODUCTION WHICH ONLY SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY AND A WELL-TRAINED AND HARMONIOUS WORKFORCE CAN PRODUCE.
+ IN SUCH THINGS HONG KONG HAS ALWAYS MANAGED TO STAY A LITTLE AHEAD OF THE GAME,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.
HE SAID IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES FOR DESIGN AWARDS HAD INCREASED THIS YEAR: CREDIT FOR THIS MUST GO TO THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL DESIGN COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE HIGHER STANDARDS OF DESIGN AND PRODUCTION, AND TO BRING HOME TO MANUFACTURERS THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, WITHOUT THESE, OUR GOOD NAME, OUR GRIP ON EXPORT MARKETS, AND OUR PROSPERITY WILL FADE.+
SIR MURRAY WAS PLEASED THAT THIS YEAR'S GOVERNOR'S AWARD - ONLY PRESENTED IF THERE IS AN ENTRY MEETING THE VERY HIGH STANDARDS - WENT TO A PRODUCT WHICH COMBINES EXCELLENT DESIGN AND QUALITY WITH WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.
THE WINNER, +VIEWDATA ADAPTOR MODEL VDX 1000+ PRODUCED BY RADOF IN ELECTRONICS (FAR EAST) LTD., IS THE FIRST PRODUCT OF ITS KIND TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED AND PRODUCED IN HONG KONG. IT ALSO WON THE WAH KIU YAT PO AWARD FOR THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED PRODUCT.
SIX OTHER HONG KONG PRODUCTS WERE CHOSEN FOR RECOGNITION, AND RECEIVED TROPHIES FROM THE GOVERNOR :
* SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST AWARD FOR DESIGN ORIGINALITY:
+DIAMOND POCKET HANDKERCHIEF+ SUBMITTED BY
KEVIN JEWELRY LTD., DESIGNED BY MR ALAN TAM YIU-CHO-
PERURATICH