XN000022-1979-01-03 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1979

THESE INCLUDE BUILDING MATERIALS, ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, FOODSTUFF, GLASSWARE, INSECTICIDE SPRAYS, LEATHER GOODS, METALWARE, PLASTIC GOODS AND MATERIALS, TEXTILE ARTICLES, WOODEN AND STEEL FURNITURE AS WELL AS PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS.

MR. YOUNG POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS A MISCONCEPTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT TENDED TO FAVOUR LOCALLY MANUFACTURED ARTICLES BECAUSE IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S BUYING AGENCY.

+WE DO FAVOUR LOCALLY MANUFACTURED ARTICLES BECAUSE OF THE REASONS ALREADY MENTIONED. BUT WE DO NOT FAVOUR THEM IN AS MUCH THAT WE ALLOW THEM ANY SPECIAL CONCESSIONS WHEN IT COMES TO ADJUDICATING ON COMPETITIVE TENDERS AND WHERE HONG KONG PRODUCTS ARE COMPETING AGAINST FOREIGN PRODUCTS,+ HE SAID,

+ IN OTHER WORDS WHEN WE MAKE A PURCHASE OF A HONG KONG PRODUCT WE PURCHASE IT BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT ARTICLE AT THE RIGHT PRICE AND QUALITY AND HAS COMPETED WITH AND WON IN MANY INSTANCES IN FAIR COMPETITION WITH FOREIGN MANUFACTURED GOODS, HE ADDED.

MR. YOUNG SAID THE VALUE OF HONG KONG PRODUCTS WHICH THE DEPARTMENT IS BUYING HAS BEEN INCREASING ANNUALLY AT ABOUT 10 PER CENT WITH A PROPORTIONAL DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF OVERSEAS ORDERS, ADDING THAT A FEW YEARS AGO IT BOUGHT MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF ITS PRODUCTS OVERSEAS.

ON OTHER ADVANTAGES IN BUYING LOCALLY, MR. YOUNG SAID HE COULD NOT RECALL PLACING AN ORDER WITH A HONG KONG MANUFACTURER THAT WAS NOT HONOURED IN EVERY DETAIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPEC IF ICATION, TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT.

+ IT IS SIMPLY THE TRUTH, WE HAVE NEVER YET BEEN LET DOWN

BY A HONG KONG MANUFACTURER, HE SAID.

$45.58 MILLION WORTH OF CONTRACTS AWARDED IN NOVEMBER 1978

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AWARDED 30 CONTRACTS WORTH $45.58 MILLION IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR.

SIXTEEN WERE AWARDED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CENTRAL TENDER BOARD AND 14 ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PWD TENDER BOARD.

THE BIGGEST CONTRACT AWARDED WAS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRPORT TUNNEL ROAD - KOWLOON BAY TO KWUN TONG ROAD, STAGE || FOUNDATIONS.

OTHER CONTRACTS INCLUDED THE CONTROLLED TIPPING OF REFUSE AT SAI TSO WAN AND ASSOCIATED WORKS AND THE IMPROVEMENT TO THE FLOOD- LIGHTING INSTALLATION IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT STADIUM,

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