XN000022-1979-10-17 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1979

5.

REFERRING TO THE REPORTS, MR, WU SAID THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY CONTINUED TO BE THE LARGEST MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG IN TERMS OF BOTH TOTAL VALUE OF EXPORTS AND NUMBER OF WORKERS EMPLOYED AND HONG KONG REMAINED THE WORLD'S PREMIER EXPORTER OF CLOTHING.

IN 1978, THE TOTAL VALUE OF CLOTHING ITEMS MANUFACTURED IN AND EXPORTED FROM HONG KONG AMOUNTED TO SOME $15 700 MILLION, REPRESENTING ABOUT 39 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF HONG KONG'S EXPORTS.

THE NUMBER OF WORKERS EMPLOYED IN THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY WAS MORE THAN 260 000 OR ABOUT 33 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL WORKFORCE IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

LAST YEAR ALSO SAW AN UNPRECEDENTED SHORTAGE OF MANPOWER AT THE OPERATIVE LEVEL IN THE INDUSTRY.

TO ASSIST THE INDUSTRY TO COUNTER THIS PROBLEM, THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING CENTRE HAS ASSISTED IN SUPPLYING WELL-TRAINED OPERATIVES.

LAST YEAR, OVER 3 100 TRAINEES COMPLETED TRAINING IN THE CENTRE, AND NEW TRAINING COURSES FOR IN-SERVICE SUPERVISORS, QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTORS AND PRESSING OPERATIVES WERE STARTED.

IN ADDITION TO SKILL TRAINING, INCULCATING CORRECT WORKING ATTITUDE. DISCIPLINE AND SAFE WORKING HABITS FORMED AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMMES.

TURNING TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, MR. WU SAID LAST YEAR WAS ALSO A RECORD YEAR FOR THE INDUSTRY.

THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY'S TRAINING CENTRE CONTINUED TO TURN OUT YOUNG PEOPLE WELL GROUNDED IN BASIC SKILLS IN KEY CONSTRUCTION TRADES. TRAINEES WERE READILY ABSORBED AND WELL RECEIVED BY THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AFTER COMPLETING THEIR 11-MONTH COURSES AT THE CENTRE.

THE HIGH LEVEL OF ACTIVITIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, MR. WU CONTINUED, HAD INDUCED CONTRACTORS TO BECOME MORE MECHANISED. CONSTRUCTION PLANT OPERATORS AND OTHER SEMI-SKILLED WORKERS SUCH AS BAR BENDERS, LEVELLERS AND CONCRETORS WERE, AND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE, IN GREAT DEMAND.

THEREFORE, PLANS FOR PROVIDING SHORT COURSES AT THE CENTRE TO CATER FOR SUCH NEEDS WERE BEING IMPLEMENTED.

AS THE AUTHORITY'S CENTRE COULD ACCOMMODATE ONLY ABOUT 700 TRAINEES, THERE WAS, THEREFORE, AN URGENT NEED FOR A SECOND TRAINING CENTRE.

*THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY HAS APPLIED TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE GRANT OF A PIECE OF LAND IN KWAI CHUNG. I URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO TREAT THIS APPLICATION AS A MATTER OF URGENCY,+ MR. WU SAID.

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