XN000022-1979-11-15 — Page 19

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1979

HE ALSO SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO EXTEND THE CONCEPT OF MORE OPEN GOVERNMENT TO THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND THAT THE STEPS TAKEN HAVE INCLUDED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN 1973, WITH SUCCESSIVE FURTHER WIDENING OF ITS SPECTRUM OF PARTICIPATION SINCE THEN.

+ITS MEMBERSHIP NOW TOTALS 21 CITIZENS RANGING FROM THE GRASS ROOTS TO THE LEADING LIGHTS IN ACADEMIA,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE REMARKS BY DR. THE HON, RAYSON HUANG ON MANPOWER PLANNING AND TRAINING, HE SAID AS FAR BACK AS 1965 GOVERNMENT INITIATED ACTION BY SETTING UP THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

AND IN 1973, THE GOVERNOR APPOINTED THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL TO DEVELOP THIS WORK FURTHER.

MR. HO SAID THE COUNCIL HAS RECOMMENDED THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTRODUCE A SCHEME WHICH WOULD MAKE AVAILABLE TRAINING CENTRES FOR TRAINING MANPOWER NOT ONLY SPECIFIC TO INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRIES BUT COMMON TO ALL INDUSTRIES, AS WELL AS HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY NEEDED TO RESPOND TO RAPIDLY CHANGING MANPOWER DEMAND.

+THIS RECOMMENDATION IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY GOVERNMENT, AND I HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR SWIFT ACTION TO BE TAKEN AS SOON AS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION HAS COMPLETED ITS WORK, HE SAID.

+

CHANGES IN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL SCENE

*****

THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR. ROY PORTER, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) IN THE PAST HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY HAS ADAPTED TO MARKET DEMANDS FAR MORE QUICKLY THAN ITS COMPETITORS, BUT THE ABILITY TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES QUICKLY IS DIMINISHING.

MR. PORTER, WHO IS DUE TO RETIRE NEXT MONTH AFTER 23 YEARS GOVERNMENT SERVICE, WAS REVIEWING THE ENORMOUS CHANGES IN HONG KONG HE HAD SEEN OVER THAT PERIOD, IN A LUNCHEON TALK TO THE LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG HARBOUR.

+TEN YEARS AGO IT WAS NOT TOO DIFFICULT FOR AN ENTREPRENEUR MANUFACTURER TO CHANGE OVERNIGHT FROM THE PRODUCTION OF TOOTH BRUSHES TO THE PRODUCTION OF CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS OR FROM THE PRODUCTION OF WIGS TO THE ASSEMBLY OF TRANSISTOR RADIOS. NO GREAT TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE WAS REQUIRED AND NO GREAT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, HE SAID.

+BUT NOW WE ARE BEING FORCED BY RISING COSTS AND INCREASED COMPETITION TO PRODUCE HIGHER QUALITY, MORE SOPHISTICATED GOODS. MORE KNOWLEDGE OF TECHNOLOGY, BETTER MANAGEMENT, HIGHER CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND MORE ADVANCED MARKETING METHODS ARE NEEDED. THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM IT. WE ARE BEING FORCED UP THE MARKET AND WE HAVE TO BE MORE PROFESSIONAL IN OUR APPROACH.+

/MR PORTER