THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1981
6
+BUY HONG KONG+ DRIVE ADVOCATED
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THE HON F.K. HU TODAY CALLED FOR A +BUY HONG KONG+ CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO SUPPORT LOCAL INDUSTRIES.
HE SAID THIS WOULD INCREASE PRODUCTION, EASE THE UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM AND REDUCE TRADE DEFICIT.
AND HE SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET AN EXAMPLE BY GIVING PREFERENCE, SAY FIVE PER CENT IN PRICE, TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT AND GOODS OF HONG KONG ORIGIN, SUBJECT TO QUALITY BEING COMPARABLE.
+SUCH ACTION WOULD NO DOUBT GIVE GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO LOCAL INDUSTRIES AND COULD, IN SOME CASES, COUNTERACT THE DUMPING SALES OF SUPPLIERS OF NON-HONG KONG GOODS, HE SAID.
QUOTING STATISTICS, MR HU POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS INCREASED FROM 2.3 PER CENT IN MARCH 1979 TO 3.8 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR AND FURTHER TO 4.1 PER CENT IN MARCH THIS YEAR.
FURTHERMORE, HE ADDED, THE GROWTH RATE OF TOTAL IMPORTS IN MONEY TERMS THIS YEAR HAS BEEN FASTER THAN THAT OF TOTAL EXPORTS.
+ALL THESE ARE DANGEROUS SIGNS NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED,+ HE WARNED.
+THE GOVERNMENT MUST EXERT EVERY EFFORT IN SUPPORTING OUR INDUSTRIES TO INCREASE THEIR EXPORT.
+ON THE OTHER HAND, WE MUST RECOGNISE THAT THERE IS A HUGE DOMESTIC MARKET WHICH SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.
+ALTHOUGH IN PRINCIPLE WE ARE COMMITTED TO A FREE ECONOMY, THERE IS NO REASON WHY OUR INDUSTRIES WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT AIM AT A BIGGER SHARE OF OUR OWN MARKET, + HE SAID.
MR HU EMPHASISED THAT IN AN ERA OF TECHNOLOGY AND SOPHISTICATION, THE PROSPECT OF FURTHERING EXPORT NO LONGER RELIES ON LABOUR INTENSIVE AND LOW PRICED PRODUCTS ALONE, BUT ON OUR ABILITY TO PRODUCE HIGH TECHNOLOGY GOODS.
+ IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN TO TRAIN SKILLED AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS AIM.
+ IN THIS RESPECT, I FULLY SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATUTORY VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL WITH EXECUTIVE AS WELL AS ADVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.+
TURNING TO HOUSING, THE UNOFFICIAL COUNCILLOR SAID IT IS STILL HONG KONG'S BIGGEST SOCIAL PROBLEM AND HAS TO BE TACKLED VIGOROUSLY.
/HE WAS