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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1981
+THIS IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENCE LINE IN THE MIND OF EVERY WELL-DISCIPLINED CITIZEN, WHICH FOREIGN BUSINESSES FIND HARD TO PENETRATE.
+ IT IS TIME THAT WE SHOULD CAPITALISE ON ADVERSITY AND GRADUALLY BUILD UP THIS MENTALITY BY STARTING A USE HONG KONG GOODS+ CAMPAIGN.
+THEREFORE, WHENEVER POSSIBLE OUR MANUFACTURERS SHOULD DEVELOP THE DOMESTIC MARKET, WHICH AFTER ALL HAS A POTENTIAL 5.1 MILLION BUYERS.
+THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD ALSO BE EDUCATED AND ENCOURAGED TO BUY MORE HONG KONG GOODS, HE SAID.
MR CHAN ALSO NOTED THAT IN 1980/81, THERE WERE 7.9 MILLION DEPARTURES OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO CHINA, MACAU AND OTHER COUNTRIES. THE EXPENDITURE OF EACH HONG KONG RESIDENT OVERSEAS WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $595, EXCLUDING SUCH EXPENSIVE GIFTS AS TELEVISION SETS AND OTHER CONSUMER GOODS THAT WERE CARRIED OVER THE BORDER.
IF GIFTS OF AN AVERAGE VALUE OF $1 838.50 WERE CARRIED ON EACH OF THE 7.9 MILLION DEPARTURES OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS ON OVERSEAS TOURS, MR CHAN SAID, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON SUCH GIFTS WOULD BE EQUAL TO THE VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT OF $14.52 BILLION IN THE SAME FINANCIAL YEAR.
+ I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT CONSIDER ASKING THE PEOPLE, ON LEAVING HONG KONG, TO COMPLETE A SIMPLE FORM TO DECLARE' THE TRUE VALUE OF ANY BRAND NEW CONSUMER GOODS WHICH THEY ARE BRINGING OUT OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
+THIS IS OF COURSE NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAXATION BUT TO PRESENT A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM.
+THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT LATER WISH TO RE-CLASSIFY 'PERSONAL GIFTS' IN ITS TRADE STATISTICS, THEREBY PLACING OUR VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT IN THE CORRECT PERSPECTIVE WITH A VIEW TO INSTITUTING EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO IMPROVE OUR TRADE BALANCE.
ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, MR CHAN NOTED THAT THE COMMITTEE OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD IS PERFORMING PARTLY THE FUNCTIONS OF AN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY COUNCIL ON A TRIPARTITE BASIS AND IS DEVELOPING IN THIS DIRECTION. HE WAS ALSO PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ON SAFETY AT WORK THROUGH THE MEDIA, SHOWS AND DISPLAYS, COUPLED WITH SEMINARS ORGANISED WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, HAVÉ AROUSED A GROWING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG BOTH WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS.
HE HOPED THAT THIS WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HONG KONG'S +RATHER LAMENTABLE+ INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE FATAL AND SERIOUS DISABILITY CASES.
TURNING TO