XN000022-1977-01-05 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1977

MORE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND BETTER PAID JOBS NEEDED

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THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. DAVID JORDAN, SAID TODAY THAT IF HONG KONG WAS TO MAINTAIN THE SOCIAL STABILITY AND THE SOCIAL PROGRESS THAT IT HAD ENJOYED IN RECENT YEARS, IT MUST CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MORE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND BETTER PAID JOBS AT HIGHER LEVELS OF SKILL.

HE ADDED: +THIS MEANS THAT WE MUST HAVE NEW INDUSTRIES, NEW TECHNOLOGY, NEW PRODUCTS, NEW MARKETS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO EARN US THE MONEY TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. WE ARE NOT ON A TREADMILL BUT WE ARE ON A SORT OF ESCALATOR, FOR WHICH WE MUST PROVIDE THE POWER.+

MR. JORDAN WAS SPEAKING AT A PRESENTATION CEREMONY IN THE CHINESE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION WHERE THE D C AND I'S AWARD TO THE BEST NEW PRODUCT OF THE YEAR WAS PRESENTED TO RADOF IN ELECTRONICS' FOR THEIR T.V. GAME.

MR. JORDAN CONTINUED: +WE CAN NEVER AFFORD TO FORGET THAT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE ARE DOING IN HONG KONG AND HOPE TO DO IN THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON THE VALUE WE ADD TO WHAT WE BRING INTO HONG KONG TO TRANSFORM INTO GOODS AND SERVICES WE CAN SELL OUTSIDE HONG KONG. WE MUST CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE RATIO OF THAT ADDED VALUE TO THE ORIGINAL COST. +

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HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG HAD DONE VERY WELL BY PRODUCING IMPROVED PRODUCTS IN ITS WELL-ESTABLISHED INDUSTRIES GARMENTS AND TOYS -- WHICH MADE UP OVER HALF OF HONG KONG'S EXPORTS IN 1976.

BUT, HE ADDED, IT WAS ALSO A FACT THAT THE GROWTH OF THE TEXTILES AND GARMENTS INDUSTRY IS FAR MORE RESTRICTED IN REGARD TO ACCESS TO ITS OVERSEAS MARKETS THAN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY.

+THEREFORE NOT ONLY NEW PRODUCTS, BUT ALSO NEW INDUSTRIES, WILL BE NEEDED IN THE YEARS AHEAD TO PROVIDE JOBS FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE ENTERING THE LABOUR MARKET EACH YEAR,+ MR. JORDAN SAID.

HE ADDED: +THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE BETTER TRAINED AND MORE HIGHLY QUALIFIED THAN THEY USED TO BE. AND THIS PROCESS IS ACCELERATING. THIS YEAR HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR OPENED OUR NEW POLYTECHNIC WHICH NOW DWARFS THE OLD TECHNICAL COLLEGE BESIDE IT.

+1 REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS THE NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND THAT THE INITIATIVE FOR ITS CONSTRUCTION CAME FROM THE CMA, WHEN IN 1955 IT OFFERED THE GOVERNMENT $1 MILLION TOWARDS THE BUILDING COST.

+YOUR ASSOCIATION'S ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF HIGHER TECHNICAL SKILLS HAS CONTINUED OVER THE YEARS AND STILL CONTINUES.

+ IT IS HOWEVER EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE ASSOCIATION SHOULD DO ALL IT CAN TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS APPRECIATE THAT THEY WIL BENEFIT FROM EMPLOYING MORE SKILLED WORKERS AND FROM PROVIDING THE RIGHT TYPE OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR YOUNG APPRENTICES, TO COMPLEMENT THE THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE THEY WILL BE RECEIVING IN OUR TECHNICAL INSTITUTES.+