THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985
16
GREATER CONCERN FOR INDUSTRY URGED
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGED TO SHOW GREATER CONCERN TOWARDS LOCAL INDUSTRY WHICH HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A DECREASE IN EXPORTS THIS YEAR.
THE CALL CAME FROM THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG DURING THE POLICY DEBATE IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).
WHILE THE DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY THE LOCAL MANUFACTURING SECTOR WERE RELATED TO WORLDWIDE RECESSION, INTERNATIONAL PROTECTIONISM AND COMPETITION FROM SOUTH-EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES, MR TAM SAID IT WAS UNDENIABLE THAT THE WEAKNESSES WHICH EXISTED IN OUR LOCAL INDUSTRY ITSELF HAD ALSO DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THESE DIFFICULTIES.
HE SUGGESTED THAT THE BEST WAY TO ENHANCE OUR COMPETITIVE POWER WITH OTHER OVERSEAS COUNTRIES WAS TO IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF OUR TECHNOLOGY AND THE QUALITY OF OUR PRODUCTS.
+ACTIVE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IN THIS FIELD IS CERTAINLY REQUIRED, + HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF OUR INDUSTRY AND TRADE NOT ONLY CONCERNED THE GROWTH OF OUR ECONOMY, BUT ALSO DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE OVERALL EMPLOYMENT SITUATION AND THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
ON THE ISSUE OF LABOUR, MR TAM SAID HONG KONG LAID EMPHASIS ON THE MARKET-ADJUSTMENT FUNCTION OF A FREE ECONOMY, BUT HAD NO COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.
HENCE, WHENEVER OUR ECONOMY EXPERIENCED STRUCTURAL CHANGES OR READJUSTMENTS, THE GENERAL LABOUR FORCE WOULD INEVITABLY HAVE TO BEAR MOST OF THE COST FOR ECONOMIC READJUSTMENT, HE SAID.
NOTING THAT THE SECURITY PROVIDED FOR THE MAJORITY OF HONG KONG'S LABOUR FORCE WAS VERY INADEQUATE, MR TAM SAID A DOWN-TURN IN THE LOCAL MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN RECENT YEARS HAD CAUSED WORRIES ON EMPLOYMENT AMONG MANY WORKERS, PARTICULARLY THE ELDER ONES.
THEREFORE, MR TAM SAID, THERE WAS A NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME TO HELP THE ELDERLY WORKERS, WHO HAD MADE LIFE-LONG CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR PROSPERITY, TO SOLVE THEIR RETIREMENT PROBLEMS.
+AS HONG KONG HAS ENTERED THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, AND OUR ECONOMIC STRUCTURE IS UNDERGOING CHANGES, HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF OUR WORKERS AND THE LABOUR PROTECTION THEY REQUIRE SO AS TO FACILITATE THE MAINTENENCE OF THE STABILITY OF OUR SOCIETY, HE SAID.
/TURNING TO