FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1983
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NO CUT-BACK IN PUBLIC WORKS SPENDING, GOVERNOR SAYS
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THERE HAS BEEN NO CUT-BACK IN PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE, ALTHOUGH THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF INCREASE IN GOVERNMENT SPENDING, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID THIS EVENING.
SIR EDWARD SAID NEW ENGINEERING PROJECTS WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO START IN 1983-84 INCLUDE SUCH ITEMS AS PHASE ONE OF STAGE THREE OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR, THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FROM FAN KAM ROAD TO LOK MA CHAU, FURTHER WORKS AT JUNK BAY AND THE TSING YI NORTH BRIDGE AND ITS APPROACHES.
SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING AS PATRON AT THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS. HE SAID THIS MONEY WAS BEING SPENT ON PUBLIC WORKS EVEN THOUGH HONG KONG MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES.
SIR EDWARD SAID VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE INDUSTRIES ON WHICH HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WAS BASED REQUIRED ENGINEERS, EITHER DIRECTLY IN CONNECTION WITH THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESS OR IN THE DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING OF ITS PRODUCTS.
THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT HALF OF THE ENGINEERING WORKS CARRIED OUT IN THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD AND EMPLOYED SEVERAL HUNDRED ENGINEERS.
+IT CAN THUS BE SAID THAT YOUR PROFESSION IS IMPORTANT TO THE LIVES OF ALL OF US,+ HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD SAID THE DEMAND FOR HIGH QUALITY ENGINEERING WOULD NOT SLACKEN, AND INDEED, OUGHT TO INCREASE, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL.
ON ITS PART. THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THAT GOOD ENGINEERING STARTED IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, AND WOULD BE SPENDING $5.7 BILLION ON EDUCATION WITH $1.3 BILLION ON THE TWO UNIVERSITIES, THE POLYTECHNIC AND THE BAPTIST COLLEGE IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.
+APART FROM INCREASING THE ENROLMENT OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY AND THE POLYTECHNIC AND REMEMBER THAT ABOUT 600 ENGINEERING STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE THIS SUMMER - THERE ARE FLANS WELL ADVANCED FOR A SECOND POLYTECHNIC,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
AS ESSENTIAL BACK-UP FOR ENGINEERS, THE POLYTECHNIC AND THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES WOULD PRODUCE OVER 5 250 ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS AND CRAFTSMEN THIS YEAR.
THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL WAS IN FULL OPERATION AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY HAD JUST OPENED A SECOND TRAINING CENTRE, HE ADDED.