WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1981
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SPEED UP MANPOWER TRAINING SCHEMES, GOVT URGED
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THE GOVERNMENT'S LACK OF PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE MANPOWER TRAINING SCHEMES RECOMMENDED BY THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL CAME UNDER ATTACK BY DR THE HON FRANCIS TIEN, THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.
HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT ALL WHO WERE ENGAGED IN INDUSTRY OR HAD AN INTEREST IN ITS FUTURE WERE EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DELAY.
THE GOVERNOR SAID LAST OCTOBER THAT LEGISLATION WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN THE 1980/81 SESSION TO ESTABLISH A STATUTORY BODY TO IMPLEMENT THE TRAINING SCHEMES PROPOSED BY THE TRAINING COUNCIL.
AGAIN IN HIS SPEECH THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNOR REMARKED THAT +SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, LEGISLATION WILL SHORTLY BE INTRODUCED TO CREATE A STATUTORY VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, DR TIEN NOTED.
+BUT IN VIEW OF THE CONSIDERABLE TIME THAT HAS BEEN LOST SINCE THE TRAINING COUNCIL FIRST RECOMMENDED THE TRAINING SCHEMES, + DR TIEN SAID, +1, IN COMPANY WITH MANY IN AND OUTSIDE THIS COUNCIL, WOULD BE HAPPIER IF RATHER THAN SHORTLY', GOVERNMENT CAN BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE DATE BY WHICH A BILL WILL BE PLACED BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. +
HE POINTED OUT THAT, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN, THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES WOULD REMAIN THE ENGINE OF OUR ECONOMY AND IMPORTANT TO HONG KONG BOTH AS A JOB PROVIDER AND A WEALTH GENERATOR.
AND TO REMAIN IN BUSINESS, HE STRESSED HONG KONG MUST DIVERSIFY, UPGRADE ITS PRODUCTS AND KEEP PRODUCT COSTS DOWN THROUGH
INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY.
+BUT TO DO THIS DEMANDS BETTER TRAINING AT ALL LEVELS.
+THE FACILITIES FOR SUCH TRAINING DO NOT EXIST AT THE MOMENT
AND WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, HE SAID.
DR TIEN NOTED THAT THE TRAINING COUNCIL HAD DONE ITS UTMOST TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON FACILITIES NEEDED TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF TRAINING, IN QUANTITY AND QUALITY, TO THAT REQUIRED BY HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIES.
DESPITE ENDORSEMENT BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE TRAINING COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATIONS HAD YET TO BE IMPLEMENTED, HE ADDED.
+LET US REMEMBER THE LATE PRESIDENT KENNEDY WHO SAID TIME IS
A TOOL TO USE, NOT A BED ON WHICH TO LIE'.
*THERE IS ALSO A CHINESE SAYING AN INCH OF TIME IS AN INCH OF GOLD, BUT AN INCH OF GOLD CANNOT BUY AN INCH OF TIME',+ DR TIEN SA ID.
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