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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1988
BAZAAR OPENS UP JOB OPPORTUNITIES
THE JOB-BAZAAR WHICH IS BEING HELD AT THE NEW TOWN PLAZA IN SHA TIN IS A NEW CONCEPT OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT ΤΟ HELP EMPLOYERS_ PUBLICISE JOB OPPORTUNITIES EFFECTIVELY.
SPEAKING AT ITS OPENING TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR TONY HAMMOND, SAID THE BAZAAR SERVED THREE USEFUL PURPOSES.
"IT PROVIDES AN EASY METHOD FOR JOB-SEEKERS TO FIND JOB OPPORTUNITIES; BRINGS ABOUT AN IMMEDIATE, CORDIAL AND DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND JOB-SEEKERS; AND FACILITATES A DESIRABLE CROSS-DISTRICT EMPLOYMENT MOBILITY WHICH WILL BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN THE PROMOTION OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE NEW TOWNS," HE SAID.
"IN OTHER PLACES, SUCH AS JAPAN AND BRITAIN, SIMILAR KINDS OF ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN VERY POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL, AND I AM HOPEFUL THAT THIS FIRST JOB-BAZAAR IN HONG KONG WILL ALSO ACHIEVE GOOD RESULTS," MR HAMMOND SAID.
"IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL, SIMILAR EVENTS WILL BE ORGANISED IN OTHER DISTRICTS ΤΟ MEET EMPLOYERS' DEMANDS AND THUS CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF LABOUR SHORTAGE IN HONG KONG," HE ADDED.
MR HAMMOND NOTED THAT THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH A TIGHT LABOUR MARKET AND THE EFFECTS THEY HAD HAD ON THE GROWTH OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY CAUSED CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC CONCERN OVER THE PAST YEAR.
FROM
CITING STATISITICS, HE SAID THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPPED 2.1 PER CENT IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1987 ΤΟ 1.8 PER CENT IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF THE YEAR WHILE THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE REMAINED A VERY LOW RATE OF AROUND ONE PER CENT DURING 1987.
AT
LAST YEAR
THE NUMBER OF REPORTED VACANCIES IN SEPTEMBER TOTALLED 53,900 IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR; 25,600 IN THE WHOLESALE, RETAIL, IMPORT AND EXPORT, AND RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR; AND 7,600 IN THE FINANCIAL, INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE AND BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR.
THESE REPRESENTED INCREASES OF 68 PER CENT, 200 PER CENT AND 159 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY OVER THE SAME MONTH IN 1986.
"ALL THESE FACTS CLEARLY INDICATE THAT THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY TIGHT LABOUR SHORTAGE THROUGHOUT 1987,' MR HAMMOND SAID.
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"AS A RESULT, WAYS AND MEANS OF IMPROVING THE SITUATION HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.
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/HE POINTED