39

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1991

VOCATIONAL

MANPOWER SUPPLY, ON

MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT WHILE TRAINING WAS ONE WAY OF BRINGING THE SUPPLY OF MANPOWER IN LINE

DEMAND, THE

ANOTHER WAY WAS TO ATTRACT TO HONG KONG THE KINDS SKILLS WE NEEDED, BUT WHICH WERE IN SHORT SUPPLY LOCALLY.

WITH OF

HE SAID: "WE HAVE A LONG-STANDING AND, I BELIEVE, UNIVERSALLY IN HONG SUPPORTED POLICY OF ATTRACTING OVERSEAS COMPANIES TO SET UP KONG. ABOUT 100 COMPANIES DO 30 EACH YEAR. WE ALLOW THEM TO KEY MANAGERIAL AND TECHNICAL STAFF.

IMPORT

"THIS WILL

AS WILL THE POLICY CONTINUE,

OF SUPPORTING PROVISION TO THE CHILDREN OF THESE OVERSEAS RESIDENTS OF THE SORT EDUCATION THEY WOULD EXPECT IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES.

THE

OF

"IN A FURTHER MOVE TO ATTRACT TALENT FROM OVERSEAS, INCLUDING FORMER HONG KONG RESIDENTS, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE

MANAGEMENT HAVE OF PERSONNEL

SET UP A JOINT

то VENTURE INFORMATION ON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN HONG KONG.

PROVIDE

"WE

AND,

HOPE TO OPEN AN OFFICE IN TORONTO BY THE END OF

PROVES IF THE PROJECT

SUCCESSFUL, ΤΟ EXTEND IT APPROPRIATE CITIES OVER TIME."

THE ΤΟ

YEAR OTHER

OF WORKERS, MR CHAN

SAID WHILE THE

TURNING TO IMPORTATION INITIATIVES MENTIONED ABOVE WERE AIMED LARGELY AT PEOPLE AT MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, HONG KONG ALSO HAD то DEAL

SEVERE WITH ALLEVIATED, WOULD MANPOWER SHORTAGES AT OTHER LEVELS WHICH, IF NOT HINDER ECONOMIC GROWTH.

"THEREFORE, AS THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID A WHILE AGO, HAVE DECIDED THAT AN INCREASE IN OUR MANPOWER SUPPLY FROM OUTSIDE REQUIRED, BUT WE WILL WANT TO CONSULT CAREFULLY BEFORE DECIDING ON FINAL FIGURE.

WE

IS

A

"OUR APPROACH WILL

REMAIN HIGHLY SHORTAGES

ARE

SELECTIVE AND PARTICULARLY

WILL BE SEVERE, AS

TARGETTED AT

WHERE AREAS REFLECTED BY, FOR EXAMPLE, HIGH VACANCY RATES," HE SAID.

FOR

ABUSE

THE

BY

MR CHAN SAID IT WAS INTENDED ALSO TO TAKE STEPS TO TIGHTEN

AS TO MINIMISE THE OF IMPORTATION

SCOPE

UNSCRUPULOUS EMPLOYERS.

SYSTEM

SO

AS

INCREASES IN PENALTIES SPECIFIC MEASURES TO PREVENT UNLAWFUL

FOR

"WE HAVE IN MIND SUBSTANTIAL

WELL AS

MALPRACTICES, DEDUCTIONS OF WACES."

TO

THE

WORKERS

MR

DEBATE CHAN SAID MANY MEMBERS HAD POINTED IN THE NEED FOR RETRAINING PROGRAMMES TO UPGRADE THE SKILLS OF LOCAL AND TO HELP THEM ADAPT TO SECTORS WITH A STRONG DEMAND FOR SKILLS.

"WE

WE

THOSE

OTHER

SUCH THOSE

WELCOME THESE SUGGESTIONS AND WILL PURSUE THEM WITH AMONG CONCERNED, PARTICULARLY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL. THINGS,

A ARE CONSIDERING SETTING UP

FUND FOR SPECIAL RETRAINING, FINANCED BY A REASONABLE LEVY TO BE PAID BY EMPLOYERS GIVEN PERMISSION TO IMPORT WORKERS UNDER ANY NEW IMPORTATION SCHEME.

"WE SHALL

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