WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994
29
HONG KONG NEEDS TO IMPORT REASONABLE AMOUNT OF LABOUR: SEM
REASONABLE AMOUNT OF
HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO REQUIRE A LABOUR TO BE IMPORTED GIVEN THAT THE LABOUR MARKET REMAINS TIGHT AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT 2.3 PER CENT.
"BUT
H
THE LONG TERM SOLUTION TO LABOUR SHORTAGE MUST LIE WITH PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN ADDRESSING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS.
"WE
TO
THEREFORE CALL FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO CONTINUE IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCTION PROCESS, TO ADOPT EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, AND TO DO BETTER, TRAIN THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES IN ORDER ΤΟ COPE WITH THE GIVEN CONSTRAINT, HE SAID.
ON THE GOVERNMENT'S PART, MR LEUNG SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD CONTINUE TO PROMOTE EMPLOYEES RETRAINING VIGOROUSLY, THROUGH THE EMPLOYEES RETRAINING BOARD, SO THAT THOSE WORKERS WHO HAD BEEN DISPLACED MIGHT REJOIN THE WORKFORCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
"THE BOARD HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB IN PUTTING 32,000 PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR TRAINING COURSES IN 18 MONTHS. EXIT SURVEYS HAVE ALSO INDICATED THAT, FOR THOSE WHO WERE ACTIVELY SEEKING JOBS, ABOUT 70 PER CENT HAVE SUCCEEDED.
RETRAINING.
"THE BOARD WILL SHORTLY PROVIDE FOLLOW UP SERVICE FOR RETRAINEES WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND JOBS AFTER COMPLETING A PILOT SCHEME IS ALREADY UNDER WAY, MR LEUNG SAID.
IN REPLY TO CRITICISM BY SOME MEMBERS THAT THE ALLOCATION OF QUOTAS TO THE MANUFACTURING AND HOTEL INDUSTRIES UNDER THE GENERAL LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEME WAS UNFAIR, MR LEUNG EXPLAINED THAT THE QUOTA ALLOCATION WAS MADE ACCORDING TO A PUBLISHED FORMULA WHICH TOOK INTO ACCOUNT FOUR KEY PARAMETERS: VACANCIES, LABOUR UTILISATION, WAGES AND ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION.
"THE LOGIC BEHIND THE FORMULA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE QUOTAS ARE ASSIGNED TO THOSE SECTORS MOST IN NEED AND ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE BEST ECONOMIC USE OF THEM.
"THE ALLOCATION RESULTS HAVE SO FAR MATCHED THIS AIM BROADLY,
11
HE SAID.
NEVERTHELESS, MR LEUNG SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD UNDERTAKE A REVIEW OF THE QUOTA ALLOCATION SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT AND HOW COULD BE DONE EVEN BETTER IN OPTIMISING THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE QUOTAS WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED CEILING.
MR LEUNG REFUTED A POINT MADE BY A MEMBER WHO CLAIMED THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS WERE FAULTED BECAUSE "GOVERNMENT HAS CLASSIFIED A LARGE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES AS BEING OUTSIDE LABOUR FORCE"
+
"WITH RESPECT, THIS IS AN UNINFORMED VIEW.
THE
/THE METHOD