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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1983
NEW BOARD TO PROMOTE INDUSTRY
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO AMALGAMATE THE INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD INTO A NEW
INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SIR EDWARD SAID THAT THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE READY ACCESS TO CO-ORDINATED ADVICE ON INDUSTRIAL MATTERS AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF INDUSTRY.
IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OTHER STATUTORY OR INDEPENDENT BODIES IN THIS FIELD AS THEY PROVIDED VALUABLE SERVICES FOR HONG KONG'S TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
HE CITED AS AN EXAMPLE THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL WHICH HAD SET UP A MICROPROCESSOR APPLICATIONS LABORATORY FOR THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, AND HAD COMPLETED TWO STUDIES FOR THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY AND THE METALS AND LIGHT ENGINEERING
INDUSTRIES.
*THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THE PRACTICAL CONTRIBUTION WHICH OUR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS CAN MAKE TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK, HE SAID.
IT HAS, HE ADDED, ALLOCATED $3.5 MILLION TO THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNIC FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS RELATING TO THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY.
THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY STILL EMPLOYED 40 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TOTAL LABOUR FORCE, AND ITS OUTPUT CONSTITUTED ONE QUARTER OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, SIR EDWARD SAID.
+ IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR TRADE, AND IN MANY RESPECTS THE CATALYST FOR THE OTHER SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY, SIR EDWARD SAID.
IF THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY WAS TO MAINTAIN THESE ROLES, IT HAD TO CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY AND TO DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED TO MEET CHANGING CONSUMER DEMAND IN HONG KONG'S EXPORT MARKETS, AS WELL AS THE CHALLENGE OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION, HE STATED.
THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE, HE SAID, WAS TO PROVIDE A FAVOURABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR BOTH INDUSTRIAL ENTREPRENEURS AND THE WORK FORCE.
+IN PARTICULAR, IT SEEKS TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF INDUSTRIAL LAND, AN EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, A STABLE LOW TAX BASE GENEROUS DEPRECIATION ALLOWANCES FOR INDUSTRY, AND INDUSTRIAL AND TECHNICAL TRAINING FACILITIES,+ SIR EDWARD STRESSED.
THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ALSO SHORTLY DECIDE WHETHER AN EXHIBITION CENTRE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG.
+A CONSULTANCY STUDY HAS PROPOSED A DESIGN FOR A MULTI-STOREY COMPLEX ON A SITE IN WAN CHAI, TO INCLUDE EXHIBITION HALLS, A CONFERENCE CENTRE, A HOTEL AND OFFICE ACCOMMODATION.
/+THE GOVERNMENT
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