XN000022-1977-04-06 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1977

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+BUT THOUGH HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY IS IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LEAGUE TO THAT OF TEN YEARS AGO ITS AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR TECHNOLOGICAL AND MANAGERIAL IMPROVEMENT IS AS ACUTE TODAY AS IT EVER WAS. PERHAPS IN THIS LIES ITS SUCCESS.

+SO THE NEED IS AS GREAT AS EVER FOR AN EFFECTIVE AND WELL-ORGANISED PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE WHICH HAS MATURED WITH THE INDUSTRY IT SERVES. THE DOUBTS WHICH WERE EXPRESSED IN THE EARLY DAYS AS TO WHETHER HONG KONG INDUSTRY WOULD MAKE USE OF TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY SERVICES HAVE LONG SINCE BEEN DISPELLED AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL FACILITIES WHICH THE CENTRE OFFERS TO INDUSTRY ARE GENERATING A GROWING DEMAND SO THAT THE CENTRE NOW EARNS 40% OF ITS REVENUE.

+ BUT THE CENTRE IS NOT RESTING ON ITS LAURELS AND IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR MORE AND BETTER WAYS TO SERVE INDUSTRY.

I HAVE NOTED WITH INTEREST ITS RECENT SHIFT IN EMPHASIS AWAY FROM GENERAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING TO MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY BASED TRAINING AND INDUSTRIAL CONSULTANCY,

+BEFORE I CLOSE I MUST MENTION ONE NAME WHICH, IN HONG KONG, IS ALMOST SYNONYMOUS WITH PRODUCTIVITY, DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG WAS APPOINTED TO THE WORKING PARTY ON PRODUCTIVITY WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1963, AND BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING PARTY'S PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE SUB-COMMITTEE. HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY APPOINTED TO THE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL ON ITS FORMATION AND SUCCEEDED SIR SIK-NIN CHAU AS CHAIRMAN IN JANUARY 1974. DR. CHUNG WAS ALSO THE FIRST CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, A POST HE HELD UNTIL HE RESIGNED FROM THE COUNCIL IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR. HIS INFLUENCE ON THE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL AND CENTRE HAS BEEN PROFOUND, AND THEIR PRESENT HIGH STANDING OWES MUCH TO HIM. BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT HE HAS AN ABLE SUCCESSOR IN MR. S.L. CHEN AND THAT MR. CHEN WILL PURSUE THE INTERESTS OF THE CENTRE WITH EQUAL VIGOUR AND DETERMINATION.

+ I HAVE THE GREATEST OF PLEASURE IN CONGRATULATING THE PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE ON ITS FIRST TEN YEARS, I GIVE REASSURANCE, IF IT IS NEEDED, OF GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUED SUPPORT, AND AM CONFIDENT THAT THE CENTRE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG OF THE HIGHEST VALUE.+

TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENT IN YAU MA TEI *****

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT CHEONG LOK STREET, BETWEEN CHI WO STREET AND NATHAN ROAD IN YAU MA TEI, KOWLOON WOULD BE RE-ROUTED ONE WAY EASTBOUND, FROM 10 A.M. ON FRIDAY (APRIL 8).

APPROPRIATE TRAFFIC SIGNS WILL BE PUT UP TO GUIDE MOTORISTS.