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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1987
+ACTIVE ASSISTANCE IN HELPING THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS DEVELOPING NEW, TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED ONES SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS CONTRADICTORY TO THE CONVICTION THAT HONG KONG IS A FREE ECONOMY AND SHOULD REMAIN ONE, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO THE CONFIDENCE OF INVESTORS, HERE AND ABROAD, HE SAID.
+ THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO PROVIDING A STABLE AND FREE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT FOR INVESTORS; THE SCOPE OF INVOLVEMENT SHOULD ENCOMPASS THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY SUPPORT MEASURES IN HUMAN RESOURCES AND IN AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS INSTRUMENTAL AND CONDUCIVE TO THE TRANSFER AND EXPLOITATION OF TECHNOLOGY.+
ON IMPROVING INDUSTRIAL GROWTH, MR LAI SAID HE BELIEVED THE MASSIVE CAPITAL COMMITMENT WITH HIGH RISK AND LONG PAY BACK PERIOD THAT CAME WITH HIGH TECHNOLOGY VENTURES DID NOT SUIT HONG KONG INDUSTRIALISTS' CRAVING FOR QUICK RETURNS AND PROFITS.
POINTING OUT THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO ASK AN AVERAGE FIRM TO TAKE UP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN ANY FIELD. HE SAID THE STRATEGY SHOULD BE TO UTILISE EXISTING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES INSTEAD OF ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO RESEARCH INTO UNTRIED INNOVATIONS.
HE BELIEVED THAT TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER WOULD ENABLE LOCAL INDUSTRIES TO APPLY LATEST TECHNOLOGIES TO THEIR NEEDS AND SO IMPROVE THEIR VALUE-ADDED PERFORMANCE.
ONE WAY OF IMPROVING HONG KONG'S WELL ESTABLISHED, TRADITIONAL INDUSTRY WAS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE A FIELD FORCE, HE SUGGESTED.
+THE FIELD FORCE SHOULD COMPRISE EXPERIENCED INDUSTRIAL WORKERS WHO CAN RELATE TO THE DAILY RUNNING OF AN AVERAGE FACTORY AND THE PROBLEMS IT MAY ENCOUNTER, HE SAID.
THE FIELD FORCE COULD APPROACH FACTORIES AND FIND OUT AREAS IN WHICH IMPROVEMENT IN WORK PROCESSES WAS NEEDED AND OF WHICH THE FACTORY OWNERS OR MANAGERS MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OR KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH.
IT COULD ALSO PROMOTE THE SERVICES OF THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL, THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND OTHER INDUSTRY SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS.
THE TARGET OF THE FIELD FORCE SHOULD BE MEDIUM SIZE FACTORIES WHICH HAD THE WILLINGNESS AND RESOURCES TO UNDERTAKE IMPROVEMENTS BUT HAD NOT A SPECIAL DEPARTMENT FOR THE TASK.
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