FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1991
12
FS WELCOMES DECISION TO INCREASE INTEREST RATES
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR PIERS JACOBS, WELCOMED THE DECISION TAKEN THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON BY THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF BANKS ΤΟ INCREASE DEPOSIT INTEREST RATES BY ONE PERCENTAGE POINT ACROSS THE BOARD. HE ALSO WELCOMED THE DECISION BY MAJOR BANKS IN HONG KONG CORRESPONDINGLY TO INCREASE THEIR BEST LENDING RATE BY ONE PERCENTAGE POINT.
SIR PIERS SAID THAT THIS WAS A CORRECT AND TIMELY RESPONSE TO THE HIGH RATE OF INFLATION BEING EXPERIENCED IN HONG KONG,
EARLIER TODAY, THE OFFICE OF THE EXCHANGE FUND AT THE INSTRUCTION OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, HAD ALSO TAKEN MONEY OUT OF THE INTERBANK MARKET AND PUSHED INTERBANK INTEREST RATES HIGHER.
"THIS MOVE IS PART OF A PACKAGE OF MEASURES SEEKING TO ALLEVIATE THE CURRENT INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, SIR PIERS SAID, AHEAD OF A MOTION DEBATE ON INFLATION SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT WEDNESDAY.
"I EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE OTHER MEASURES DURING THE COURSE OF THAT DEBATE," HE ADDED.
RESPONDING TO ENQUIRIES, SIR PIERS SAID HE DID NOT EXPECT THE INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES TODAY TO HAVE A DESTABILISING EFFECT ON THE
TO THE U.S. EXCHANGE RATE, WHICH REMAINED FIRMLY LINKED
DOLLAR AT
7.80.
HK-NEW ZEALAND MEMORANDUM SIGNED ON LAB ACCREDITATION SCHEMES
THE HONG KONG LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEME (HOKLAS) AND THE TESTING LABORATORY REGISTRATION COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND (TELARC) TODAY
A MEMORANDUM (FRIDAY) SIGNED
OF UNDERSTANDING
ΤΟ (MOU)
MUTUALLY RECOGNISE EACH OTHER'S LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEMES.
THE MEMORANDUM WAS SIGNED BY THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR T.H. BARMA; THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY (QUALITY), MR ERNEST EVANS; AND THE DIRECTOR OF TELARC, DR J.H. GARSIDE.
MR BARMA SAID THE SIGNING OF THE MOU WOULD FURTHER IMPROVE THE STATUS OF HOKLAS IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEMES.
HE SAID THIS WAS THE FOURTH MUTUAL RECOGNITION AN OVERSEAS LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEME.
AGREEMENT WITH
NATIONAL AND
THE
SIMILAR AGREEMENTS HAD BEEN SIGNED WITH THE NATIONAL MEASUREMENT ACCREDITATION SERVICE (NAMAS) OF THE UK, THE ASSOCIATION OF TESTING AUTHORITIES (NATA) AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ACCREDITATION (A2LA).
OF
AUSTRALIA
/"UNDER THESE