THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1986
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GOVT MUST PLAY MORE POSITIVE ROLE IN INDUSTRY
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PLAY A MORE POSITIVE ROLE IN HELPING INDUSTRY IN VIEW OF THE FIERCE COMPETITION COMING FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. PROFESSOR THE HON POON CHUNG-KWONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS. PROF POON SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT STILL INSISTED IT MUST ADHERE TO ITS POLICY OF NON-INTERVENTION, HE FELT THAT IT COULD STILL PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE BY INVESTING IN FACILITIES WHICH ASSISTED INDUSTRY.
HE SAID THERE WAS SCOPE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO OFFER ASSISTANCE IN HELPING INDUSTRY TO GO INTO MAKING HIGH-TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS AND IN UPGRADING GOODS.
PROF POON SAID HE HOPED THAT THE INDUSTRY DEVEOPMENT BOARD, OF WHICH HE WAS A MEMBER, WOULD TAKE A BOLD STEP FORWARD AND PARTICIPATE CONSTRUCTIVELY IN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AIMED AT HELPING LOCAL MANUFACTURERS TO COMBAT THE SURGING TIDE OF INTERNATIONAL PROTECTIONISM AND THE INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS OF NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES.
HE ALSO REPEATED A PROPOSAL HE MADE LAST YEAR -- THAT A STERILISATION PLANT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED, AND THUS STIMULATE INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT IN MANUFACTURING STERILISED MEDICAL PLASTICS FOR LOCAL USE AND FOR EXPORT.
TURNING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THIRD UNIVERSITY, PROF POON SUGGESTED THAT WITH AN INCREASING TENDENCY TOWARDS SPECIALISATION AND CONSEQUENT RE-AMALGAMATION OF BASIC DISCIPLINES THE UNIVERSITY MIGHT CONSIDER ADOPTING A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE TO INCREASE THE FLEXIBILITY OF INTER-DISCIPLINARY CO-OPERATION.
HE SAID THE THIRD UNIVERSITY SHOULD STRIVE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL STATUS, AND ATTEMPT TO RECRUIT THE BEST ACADEMIC STAFF, IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE AND PLACE OF ORIGIN.
THE UNIVERSITY SHOULD AIM AT PRODUCING GRADUATES WHO COULD COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE AND EXPRESS THEIR KNOWLEDGE BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN CHINESE TO MEET THE PRESENT AND FUTURE DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
SINCE THE THIRD UNIVERSITY WAS EXPECTED TO HAVE A STRONG BIAS TOWARDS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS. HE FELT THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTH CONSIDERING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIALISED INSTITUTES WITH RELATIVELY GREATER EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT.
+THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THESE INSTITUTES WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF THE THIRD UNIVERSITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF LONG-TERM MANPOWER PLANNING IN HONG KONG, PROF POON ADDED.
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