THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1982
14
HELP INDUSTRIALISTS AND WORKERS, GOVT TOLD
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE MORE POSITIVE MEASURES TO FOSTER A FAVOURABLE CLIMATE FOR THE MANUFACTURING AND TRADING SECTORS IN HONG KONG, THE HON WONG PO-YAN SAID TODAY.
IN A STRONG PLEA FOR ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL INDUSTRIALISTS AND WORKERS, MR WONG SAID HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS, APART FROM SUFFERING SPIRALLING COSTS OF RAW MATERIALS, HIGH INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION, ALSO FACED RISING PROTECTIONIST SENTIMENTS IN OUR MAJOR EXPORT MARKETS AND INCREASING COMPETITION FROM OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
+THE PROPOSALS TO HELP INDUSTRIALISTS BY INCREASING ALLOWANCES FOR NEW CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, PLANT AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDING, THOUGH STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, ARE BUT SMALL STEPS AND ARE CLEARLY NOT ENOUGH, + HE SAID.
HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE EFFECTIVE USE OF INTEREST RATES WHICH HE SAID, IS AN EFFECTIVE MEANS TO STIMULATE AND REGULATE INVESTMENT.
STEPS SHOULD ALSO BE TAKEN TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES OF INCREASING THE EXPORT OF DOMESTIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICE.
+THE REALISATION OF THE LONG ADVOCATED AND LONG AWAITED EXHIBITION CENTRE, FOR EXAMPLE, WILL ADD CONSIDERABLY TO OUR EXPORT OF SERVICE, NOT TO MENTION THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIALISTS ANXIOUSLY EXPECT, MR WONG SAID.
IN ADDITION, HE CALLED FOR A CONSISTENT AND EFFECTIVE POLICY TO CURB INFLATION, BOTH IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC.
WHILE CONCEDING THAT THE INHERENT ABSENCE OF RAW MATERIALS TO SUPPORT LOCAL MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES WILL NECESSARILY RENDER IMPORTED INFLATION DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, MR WONG ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO ADAPT STRINGENT STEPS TO RESTRAIN FORCES OF INFLATION DUE TO INTERNAL ELEMENTS.
+WE SHOULD, FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE MEASURES TO ENABLE INDUSTRY AND CONSUMERS TO HAVE THEIR BURDEN ON THE COST OF ENERGY, INCLUDING POWER, FUEL AND LIGHT, TO BE ADJUSTED DOWNWARD TO REFLECT THE RECENT EASING OF OIL PRICES IN THE WORLD.+
ON THE SUPPLY OF SKILLED WORKERS, MR WONG WAS HOPEFUL THAT THE RECENTLY-ESTABLISHED VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL WOULD PROVIDE POTENTIAL WORKERS WITH THE REQUISITE TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AND WORKERS WITH APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPTIMAL TRAINING TO UPGRADE THEIR WORK SKILLS AND EFFICIENCY.
THE WORK AND SUCCESS OF THE COUNCIL HE SAID, HAVE THEREFORE A DIRECT BEARING ON ENCOURAGING GROWTH IN OUTPUT PER HEAD WHICH WILL BE VITAL, FOR INDUSTRIALISTS AND WORKERS ALIKE, IN MEETING FUTURE CHALLENGES.
/MR WONG ALSO