WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1981
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HK PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM
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THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL IS TO CARRY OUT SHORTLY AN URGENT REVIEW OF ITS FINANCIAL SYSTEM TO ENABLE THE PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE TO ASSUME EFFECTIVELY AN ENLARGED ROLE IN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, MR ALLEN LEE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE SAID THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF FINANCE DOES NOT REALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CENTRE NOR MATCH THE FUNCTIONS THAT GOVERNMENT EXPECTS IT TO CARRY OUT.
SPEAKING AT THE TABLING OF THE COUNCIL'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 1981, MR LEE SAID WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON
DIVERS IF ICATION, THE ROLE OF THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE HAS BEEN EXPANDED FROM WHAT WAS ESSENTIALLY A TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY ORGANISATION TO AN ORGANISATION CHARGED WITH THE BROADER RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROVIDING INDUSTRY SUPPORT FACILITIES.
+EXPANSION OF THE WORK OF THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE OF THIS MAGNITUDE REQUIRES MAXIMUM SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF FUNDING BUT THIS HAS NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING AT THE RATE ORIGINALLY PLANNED, HE SAID.
+THE SYSTEM OF FINANCE HAS IN TURN AFFECTED THE HONG "^^NG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE'S ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION PROJECTS.+
IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE SHORT TERM DEMAND FROM INDUSTRY, MR LEE CONTINUED, IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE CENTRE TO UNDERTAKE AN INCREASING PROPORTION OF MEDIUM TERM DEVELOPMENT WORK WHICH CANNOT BE SUSTAINED ON A YEAR-TO-YEAR DISCRETIONARY SUBVENTION MECHANISM.
+ IN IMPLEMENTING THESE PROJECTS, THE CENTRE REQUIRES AN ASSURANCE THAT THE EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT PHASE WILL BE FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED.
+THE DISCRETIONARY GRANT BASIS ON WHICH THE COUNCIL IS SUBVENTED DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY DEGREE OF CERTAINTY OVER THE AMOUNTS OF FUNDS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE BEYOND ONE YEAR.+
MR LEE ALSO REPORTED THAT DURING THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW, THE CENTRE UNDERTOOK 230 CONSULTANCY ASSIGNMENTS, MANY OF WHICH WERE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS INVOLVING DIFFERENT SKILLS AND EFFICIENT TEAM WORK, AND PROVIDED TRAINING TO OVER 7 000 PERSONS IN INDUSTRY.
PLANS WERE ALSO APPROVED FOR EXPANDING THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE'S TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICES, THE SETTING UP OF A METALS INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT UNIT, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SMALL AND MEDIUM INDUSTRY EXTENSION ADVISORY SERVICE AND THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE MICROPROCESSOR APPLICATION LABORATORY, MR LEE ADDED.
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