5
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1986
CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE TWO IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN MID-1989 AND BE COMPLETED IN 1991.
THIS PHASE WILL INCLUDE ANOTHER 450 FLATS FOR SALE, A NURSERY, A KINDERGARTEN, A DAY CARE CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, A RESTAURANT AND SHOPS.
IN ADDITION TO ABOUT 8 000 SQUARE METRES OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACE, A 6 600-SQUARE-METRE GARDEN PODIUM WILL BE BUILT FOR RESIDENTS.
ON COMPLETION OF THIS URBAN RENEWAL SCHEME, THE AREA'S ENVIRONMENT WILL BE MUCH IMPROVED.
FS VISITS TEXTILE FACTORY
*****
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS, VISITED THE SOUTH SEA TEXTILE MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN TUEN MUN TODAY (MONDAY) TO FAMILIAR İSE HIMSELF WITH LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TEXTILES AND GARMENT INDUSTRY, HONG KONG'S BIGGEST EXPORT EARNER.
EXPORTS OF TEXTILES AND GARMENTS HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY DISRUPTED IN THE PAST YEAR BY PROTECTIONIST SENTIMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS HONG KONG'S LARGEST EXPORT MARKET.
THE VISIT IS ONE OF SIX THAT MR JACOBS IS MAKING TO FACTORIES THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF A MAJOR SECTOR OF INDUSTRY.
MR JACOBS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR STEWART WEBB-JOHNSON.
HE WAS TAKEN ON A TOUR OF THE FACTORY BY THE CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY, MR JACK TANG.
MR JACOBS SAW HOW VARIOUS KINDS OF YARN AND FABRICS ARE MADE FROM RAW COTTON AND MAN-MADE FIBRES. HE ALSO SAW THE ADVANCED MACHINERY THAT IS BEING INSTALLED IN THE FACTORY FOR MANUFACTURING YARNS AND FABRICS.
THE TEXTILES AND CLOTHING INDUSTRIES ARE IMPORTANT TO THE ECONOMY BECAUSE OF THE EXPORT EARNINGS THEY BRING IN AND THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THEY PROVIDE.
AT SEPTEMBER 1985, THE TWO INDUSTRIES EMPLOYED 358 000 PERSONS IN 13 366 ESTABLISHMENTS, ACCOUNTING FOR 42 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
IN 1985, THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF TEXTILES AND CLOTHING WAS $52 735 MILLION, OR 41 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TOTAL VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS THAT YEAR.
16