28
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1987
1
ON THE SHORTAGE OF LABOUR IN THE
MANUFACTURING SECTOR, HE BELIEVED THAT RAISING WAGES ALONE WOULD NOT ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE. "THE
· SOLUTION IS IN GOING FOR MORE AUTOMATION OR UP-MARKET AND TO DEVELOP FEWER LABOUR-INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES," HE OBSERVED.
"THE QUESTION OF IMPORTED LABOUR' HAS TO BE DEALT WITH VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT WOULD DISRUPT LOCAL LABOUR RELATIONS AND MAY GIVE PRETEXT TO OTHER COUNTRIES WISHING TO IMPOSE PROTECTIONISM UPON US.
"HOWEVER, IF THERE ARE LARGE NEW PROJECTS SUCH AS A NEW AIRPORT, CONSIDERATION MAY BE GIVEN ΤΟ THIS SUGGESTION SUBJECT ΤΟ VERY STRINGENT SAFEGUARDS SUCH AS AN ASSURANCE THAT SUCH WORKERS CAN ONLY WORK IN HONG KONG FOR A SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME AND A MUST LEAVE HONG KONG AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, MR POON SAID.
L
..
AS TO EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICE SECTOR, MR POON FELT THAT THE PROBLEM LAY NOT 30 MUCH IN THE GREAT SHORTAGE IN NUMBERS AS IN EMPLOYEES' UNWILLINGNESS TO WORK FOR AN EMPLOYER FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PERIOD OF TIME OR TO WORK OVERTIME. "OUR MAIN AIM MUST AT ALL TIMES BE TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES DESPITE THEIR FINE TRACK RECORD, HE SAID.
A SECOND PROBLEM HIGHLIGHTED BY MR POON WAS TRADE PROTECTIONISM IN THE UNITED STATES.
"PROTECTIONISM WILL CREATE TRADE RETALIATION AND CONFLICT AND WILL THROW THE WORLD INTO DEPRESSION. HONG KONG, BEING, A FREE TRADE TERRITORY, SHOULD CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS TO FIGHT AGAINST ANY SUCH PROPOSED MEASURES," HE SAID.
1
ON THE QUESTION OF INFLATION, MR POON SAID HONG KONG COULD TOLERATE AN INFLATION RATE OF SIX TO EIGHT PER CENT LFA GDP GROWTH OF 12 PER CENT COULD BE ATTAINED. HE SUPPORTED THE RETENTION OF THE "LINKED EXCHANGE SYSTEM" EVEN THOUGH IT MEANT THAT AS THE US DOLLAR WEAKENED, HONG KONG'S INFLATION RATE WOULD GO UP.
COMPLEX
NOTING
MR POON ALSO SAID THAT REFORMS IN THE TRIAL OF COMMERCIAL CRIMES WAS AN AREA WHICH DESERVED URGENT ATTENTION. THAT UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM, THE TRIALS WERE LONG AND VERY EXPENSIVE AND AT TIMES EVEN UNFAIR TO THE PROSECUTION OR THE ACCUSED, HK HOPED THAT PROPER LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE THE TRIAL OF COMPLEX COMMERCIAL CRIMES COULD BE INTRODUCED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
"THE
ON TAXATION, HE NOTED THAT MOST OF THE BURDEN OF DIRECT TAX IN HONG KONG FELL ON A RELATIVELY SMALL PROPORTION OF TAXPAYERS. BURDEN ON THE MIDDLE CLASS 18 PARTICULARLY HEAVY AND I SUGGEST GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND JEE WHETHER SUCH A SITUATION CAN BE ALLEVIATED, HE SAID.
++
/HE SAW