46
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
AS PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COULD NOT BE COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY MR NGAI SAID, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER PROVIDING MORE SYSTEMATIC FACILITIES IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, AND TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF OUR INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY.
HE ALSO ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER SETTING UP A TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTRE OR DEPARTMENT, TO COORDINATE THE RESEARCH ON THE INTRODUCTION OF FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY, HAVING REGARD TO OUR EXISTING INDUSTRIAL BASE AND WITH A VIEW TO RAISE THE TECHNOLOGICAL LEVEL OF MANUFACTURING PRODUCTION.
MR NGA SAID THE +ACTIVE NON-INTERVENTION POLICY+ ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR SO MANY YEARS WAS NOW IN NEED OF OVERALL REVIEWS IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.
+THE INTENTION OF MY BRINGING OUT THE ISSUE OF SUPPORTIVE INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES IS TO REINFORCE OUR INDUSTRIAL BASE, THEREBY MAKING OUR INDUSTRIAL EXPORT PRODUCTS MORE COMPETITIVE AND MORE RESISTANT TO FOREIGN PROTECTIONISM, HE SAID.
HE SAID IT WAS THE SHARED VIEW OF THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR THAT ONLY A ROBUST MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY COULD RESULT IN A MORE HEALTHY ECONOMIC GROWTH.
+THEREFORE, THE GOVERNMENT'S INDIRECT ASSISTANCE TO INDUSTRY DOES NOT IMPLY FAVOURING ONE SECTOR AGAINST ANOTHER, + HE SAID.
+AT PRESENT HONG KONG IS PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN CHINA'S MODERNISATION SCHEME AND SHOULD THUS FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMIC STATUS.
+THERE IS ACTUAL NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT OUR INDUSTRY AND AT THE SAME TIME TO DEVISE A LONG TERM INDUSTRIAL POLICY, HE SAID.
REGARDING THE EXPENDITURE AND INCOME IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, MR NGAI SAID HE WAS GLAD TO LEARN THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS EXPECTING A BALANCED BUDGET DUE TO THE INCREASE IN REVENUE FROM SALE OF LAND AND HOPED THAT THIS COULD HELP TO AVOID INCREASE IN TAX RATE OR MAKE USE OF OUR FREE FISCAL RESERVE AGAIN, THEREBY RESULTING IN A DEFINITE EFFECT ON SOCIAL STABILITY,
MR NGAI ALSO EXPRESSED HIS FULL SUPPORT FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE'S LOCAL ISATION SCHEME.
NOTING THAT THE QUALITIES AND EFFICIENCY OF CIVIL SERVANTS WERE THE PREREQUISITES TO AN EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT, HE PROPOSED THAT CIVIL SERVANTS SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE LOCAL AND OVERSEAS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.
+ IN PARTICULAR, WE SHOULD STEP UP THE TRAINING OF THE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, TO SERVE AS A BOOSTER TC HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS PROSPERITY, + HE SAID.
/47