FUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1984
8
+FUTURE PLANS, HE SAID, +ALSO INCLUDE NEW FEATURES TO BE DEVELOPED TO ASSIST IN OTHER ASPECTS OF DEPARTMENTAL, TREASURY AND FINANCE BRANCH ACTIVITIES.+
+THESE INCLUDE COSTING, FORECASTING AND A MORE SOPHISTICATED BUDGET PREPARATION SYSTEM. WE ALSO PLAN TO INTRODUCE A LAFIS VIEWDATA SERVICE SO THAT INFORMATION IS MADE AVAILABLE ON TVS IN PLACES WHERE INSTALLATION OF A TERMINAL IS NOT COST-JUSTIFIED.
+ IT IS ENVISAGED THAT LAF IS WILL GRADUALLY BE EXTENDED TO MOST DEPARTMENTS, AND THAT BETTER FINANCIAL CONTROL AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION WILL THEREFORE BE ACHIEVED THROUGHOUT GOVERNMENT,+ HE SAID.
TEXTILES BOARD BRIEFED ON OUTCOME OF WASHINGTON TALKS
****
THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING BRIEFED THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD (TEXTAB) ON THE OUTCOME OF THE RECENT CONSULTATIONS IN WASHINGTON.
THE TWO INDUSTRIAL ADVISERS, MR STEPHEN CHEONG AND MR KENNETH FANG, ALSO BRIEFED TEXTAB ON THEIR ACTIVITIES IN WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK.
SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA AFTER THE MEETING, MR MACLEOD SAID: THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE NEXT STEPS TO TAKE. WE ARE CLEARLY IN A SITUATION WHICH IS STILL VERY FLEXIBLE. THERE COULD BE FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE U.S. OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. AND HENCE PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS, REMAIN TO BE SEEN IN THE LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SHORT TERM.
+BUT CLEARLY THE NEXT FORMAL FORUM FOR PRESSURE, INFLUENCE, DISCUSSION, IS THE TEXTILE COMMITTEE MEETING IN GENEVA ON SEPTEMBER 4. APART FROM THAT, AS I HAVE SAID PREVIOUSLY, LOBBYING EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE NOT ONLY IN THE U.S. BUT THROUGH OUR OTHER OVERSEAS OFFICES IN LONDON, IN BRUSSELS AND, IN PARTICULAR, IN GENEVA,+
MR MACLEOD SAID HE WAS KEEPING UNDER REVIEW WHEN TO REVIVE THE BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION, MR MACLEOD SAID THE LOBBYING HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME, PARTICULARLY THROUGH MR WILLIAM DORWARD, THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN NEW YORK, WHO WAS VERY ACTIVE.
ON THE REACTION OF TEXTAB TO THE EFFORTS IN WASHINGTON BY THE HONG KONG DELEGATION, MR STEPHEN CHEONG SAID THAT WHILE THE BOARD WAS VERY CONCERNED. IT WAS +EXTREMELY PLEASED THAT THE DEPARTMENT AND ITS PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DISCHARGE THE IR NEGOTIATING BRIEF FULLY AND COMPETENTLY+.
/ON THE