XN000022-1974-03-27 — Page 27

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Wedneday, March 27, 1974

STEADY EXPANSION OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT

The Director of Commerce and Industry, Mr. David Jordan, today

replied in the Legislative Council to issues raised by Unofficial

Members on the staff resources and organisation of the department.

Pointing out that the department has expanded steadily over the

years, he said that during the past year it had established a new

Industrial Promotion Branch and set up a new Trade Division, whose

responsibilities take in certification and licensing and the Trade

Investigation Bureau.

Mr. Jordan agreed, however, that the department's responsibilities

were tending to increase rather faster than its establishment, particularly

at senior management levels. "I had," he said, "already submitted

my proposals for a fairly radical re-organisation and strengthening

of the department."

Mr. Jordan said that Mr. James Wu also had suggested that the

Commerce and Industry Department should be up-graded and enlarged and

additionally staffed with people possessing industrial experience and

technological expertise to help promote industrial development.

He said he would like to discuss this with Mr. Wu, but he would

be wary of getting very far into the direct promotion of industrial

development.

"The government's responsibility is, I think, rather to create

and foster an environment in which industrial development can proceod

rather than directly to promote that development itself," he continued.

"Our industrial