WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1982
17
PLEA FOR AID TO MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DIVERGE FROM ITS TRADITIONAL NON- INTERVENTION POLICY AND ADOPT A MORE ACTIVE AND POSITIVE STANCE TO ASSIST THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, THE HON WONG PO-YAN SAID TODAY.
+I HASTEN TO SAY THAT I AM NEITHER SEEKING DIRECT INTERVENTION NOR MARKET FORCES INTERFERENCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT,+ MR WONG TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT THE RESUMED POLICY DEBATE.
+1 APPEAL FOR SOME FORM OF ACTION OR GESTURE FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO ACT AS CATALYST TO ASSIST INDUSTRIES TO OVERCOME THE TRIBULATIONS, TO RECUPERATE AND TO REVITALISE.
ALTHOUGH IT IS COMMENDABLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TRAINING OF SKILLED MANPOWER, AND THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH GROWTH AND STABILITY IN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES COULD BE ACHIEVED, MR WONG THOUGHT THAT THE EFFECTS OF THESE MEASURES COULD NOT BE FELT IMMEDIATELY NOR SHORTLY ENOUGH.
*THE GRAVITY OF OUR PRESENT PREDICAMENT CLEARLY CALLS FOR ALTERNATIVE MEASURES URGENTLY, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT MANY FACTORIES ARE NOW STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL, WHICH NOT ONLY AFFECTS THE SO-CALLED +SUNSET INDUSTRIES+ BUT ALSO THE VANGUARD INDUSTRIES.
GRANTED THAT SOME ESTABLISHMENTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH TECHNOLOGY AND THUS MAY BE RENDERED ECONOMICALLY NOT VIABLE IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE, AND GRANTED THAT A CERTAIN DEGREE OF RESTRUCTURING MAY BE DESIRABLE TOWARDS OUR CONSOLIDATION EFFORT. MR WONG SAID +WE CANNOT DISOWN THESE MARGINAL INDUSTRIALISTS AND INDUSTRIES THAT ARE NOW FACING DIFFICULTIES.+
+THEY WOULD SURVIVE IN LESS VOLATILE SITUATIONS.
+MOREOVER THEY REPRESENT WISDOM, SKILL, AND PRACTICALITY, AND IT WOULD BE CLEARLY WRONG TO APATHETICALLY STREAMLINE THEM OUT OF EXISTENCE.
+ INSTEAD, WE SHOULD BE EMBARKING ON SHORT TERM INITIATIVES URGENTLY TO CONSOLIDATE OUR EXISTING MANUFACTURING BASE AND TO BRACE OURSELVES FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES.+
HE NOTED THAT IT WAS NOT A TALK OF UTOPIA, BUT A CAREFUL AND REALISTIC CONSIDERATION.
/AND HE