XN000022-1977-09-02 — Page 2

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1977

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PWD PRAISED FOR TRAINING APPRENTICES

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DR. S.Y. CHUNG. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, TODAY COMMENDED THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR ITS EFFORTS IN PROVIDING THE YOUNG MEN OF HONG KONG WITH AN OPPORTUNITY IN ACQUIRING CRAFT AND TECHNICAL SKILLS OF A HIGH STANDARD.

SPEAKING AT A GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR GOVERNMENT APPRENTICES AT THE MORRISON HILL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, DR. CHUNG SAID THAT AS WELL AS MEETING ITS NEED FOR SKILLED CRAFTSMEN, THE P.W.D. TRAINING SCHEME WAS INCREASING THE POOL OF TECHNICAL MANPOWER IN HONG KONG AND INDIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG INDUSTRY.

THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. WILLIAM BELL, SAID THAT THE P.W.D. BELIEVES IT IS IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP A FEELING OF PRIDE IN CRAFTSMANSHIP AMONGST ITS APPRENTICES, AND THAT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY PLAYS A BIG PART IN PROMOTING THIS FEELING.

DR. CHUNG PRESENTED GRADUATION CERTIFICATES TO 54 CRAFT APPRENTICES AND 19 TECHNICAL APPRENTICES DURING THE CEREMONY,

THE +LAISHLEY CUP+, WHICH IS AWARDED TO THE BEST CRAFT APPRENTICE, WAS WON THIS YEAR BY MR. CHUNG KA-CHUEN OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE OF THE P.W.D.

THE +BROWN CUP+ FOR THE BEST TECHNICAL APPRENTICES WENT TO TWO GRADUATES FROM THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT, MR. NG CHO-KUEN WHO WAS THE TOP MECHANICAL APPRENTICE, AND MR. NGAN HON-WING, TOP ELECTRICAL APPRENTICE.

IN HIS SPEECH, DR. CHUNG SAID THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ORGANISED APPRENTICE TRAINING LAY IN THE PREPARATION OF HIGHLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS AND CRAFTSMEN CAPABLE OF PLAYING A PART IN UPGRADING PRODUCT DESIGN AND QUALITY, INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY AND REDUCING PRODUCTION COST.

HE SAID HONG KONG WAS DEVOID OF NATURAL MATERIAL RESOURCES AND ARABLE LAND, AND THEREFORE ITS ECONOMIC VIABILITY DEPENDS TO A VERY LARGE EXTENT ON ITS EXPORT-ORIENTATED MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

UNDERLINING THIS POINT, DR. CHUNG RECALLED THAT LAST YEAR, 774,000 PEOPLE, OR 43 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL WORKING POPULATION OF HONG KONG WERE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR.

HE COMPARED THIS TO WEST GERMANY WHERE THE PROPORTION IS 40 PER CENT, UNITED KINGDOM 35 PER CENT, FRANCE AND JAPAN 27 PER CENT, THE UNITED STATES 24 PER CENT AND CANADA 20 PER CENT.

+TO ASSURE OUR ECONOMIC WELL BEING, WE MUST ENSURE THAT HONG KONG MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE WORLD MARKET.

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