FURSDAY, JUNE
1426
+ IN FACT MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE AND HAVE FOR SOME TIME BEEN RECOGNISED AND SOME OF THEM ARE BEING ACTED UPON,← THE REPORT SAID.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HONG KONG'S PLASTICS INDUSTRY HAS PROSPERED BECAUSE IT HAS SEVERAL COMPENSATING ADVANTAGES, THE STUDY SAID.
THESE INCLUDE INDUSTRIOUS, SKILLED AND FLEXIBLE INDUSTRIALISTS AND WORKERS A MINIMALLY REGULATED, SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND LOW-COST RAW MATERIALS AND PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, AND A LOW TAX BURDEN.
THE STUDY WAS AIMED AT IDENTIFYING THE FACTORS THAT ARE INHIBITING THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY AND TO RECOMMEND MEASURES TO OVERCOME THESE CONSTRAINTS.
THE REPORT MAKES NINE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THE INDUSTRY' GROWTH MIGHT BE ENHANCED.
THE STUDY WAS SUBMITTED TO THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB) CHAIRED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY LAST MONTH,
AFTER CONSIDERING THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE BOARD CONCLUDED THAT A SPECIAL SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE IDB'S GENERAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE SET UP UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR K.Y. YEUNG, TO EXAMINE THE PROPOSALS IN GREATER DETAIL.
THE NEW SUB-COMMITTEE WILL SOON BE FORMED AND ITS FINDINGS REPORTED BACK TO THE IDB BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
IN ITS STUDY OF THE PLASTICS CONVERSION INDUSTRY, THE CONSULTANTS CARRIED OUT AN ANALYSIS OF THE INDUSTRY, PRODUCT RANGE, HONG KONG'S OVERSEAS MARKETS, AND THE SUPPORT FACILITIES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INDUSTRY IDENTIFIED BY THE CONSULTANTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
PLASTICS WAS THE THIRD LARGEST EXPORT EARNER IN 1984 AFTER TEXTILES AND GARMENTS AND ELECTRONICS. IN THAT YEAR, THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS AT $13 BILLION REPRÉSENTED 9.4 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S DOMESTIC EXPORTS.
* PRINCIPAL EXPORT ITEMS IN 1984 INCLUDED TOYS AND
DOLLS (64 PER CENT), HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS, TRAVEL GOODS AND HANDBAGS, PACKAGING PRODUCTS, PLASTIC RAW MATERIALS FOOTWEAR AND SLIPPERS, FLOWERS, PLASTIC CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES, AND TILES AND FLOORING.
J
/*IN 1985,