XN000022-1981-02-16 — Page 8

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1981

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TRAINING FOR TRAINERS

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THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INDUSTRY, MR ALEX PURVES, EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORTATION TO MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS WHEN HE OPENED A U.N. AGENCY-SPONSORED COURSE IN HONG KONG TODAY (MONDAY).

THE SECOND TRAINING COURSE FOR TRAINERS IN THE WORK OF SHIPPERS' COUNCILS, IS BEING SPONSORED BY ESCAP AND ATTENDED BY DELEGATES FROM THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION.

+HONG KONG LIVES BY TRADE. OUR TOTAL DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF US$13 200 MILLION IN 1980 REPRESENTED ABOUT 90 PER CENT OF MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY'S TOTAL PRODUCTION, SAID MR PURVES.

+SINCE OUR MAJOR MARKETS ARE IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA IT FOLLOWS THAT WE ARE KEENLY INTERESTED IN THE TRANSPORTATION COSTS FACED BY OUR MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS.

+TO HELP US ENSURE THAT THEY ARE NOT UNREASONABLY TREATED, + HE CONTINUED, WE HAVE A VIGOROUS SHIPPERS' COUNCIL WHICH HAS CONDUCTED QUITE A NUMBER OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH SHIPPING CONFERENCES OVER THE YEARS, IN THE PROCESS OF WHICH IT HAS GAINED QUITE A BIT OF EXPERTISE.+

PAYING TRIBUTE TO ESCAP, WHICH IS ACTIVE IN THE PROMOTION OF SKIPPERS' INTERESTS IN THE REGION, MR PURVES SAID: +ESCAP'S DECISION TO HOLD THIS TYPE OF COURSE AGAIN IN HONG KONG HAS SERVED TO REMIND US THAT THERE ARE OTHER SHIPPERS' COUNCILS IN THE REGION WHICH COULD BENEFIT FROM THAT EXPERTISE.+

HE SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO THE HONG KONG SHIPPERS' COUNCIL BEING HAPPY TO SHARE ITS KNOWLEDGE WITH THESE COUNCILS, IT HAD THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WHICH WAS CONSCIOUS OF THE BENEFITS TO BE GAINED FROM REGIONAL COOPERATION.

STRESSING THAT SHIPPERS' COUNCILS AFFAIRS MUST BE HANDLED PROFESSIONALLY, MR PURVES SAID: THE SUBJECTS WITH WHICH SHIPPERS' COUNCILS DEAL, AND THEIR IMPACT UPON THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES' ECONOMIES, ARE SUCH THAT THEY CANNOT BE LEFT TO UNQUAL IF IED OFFICIALS.

+THOSE WHO SIT ON THE SHIPPING CONFERENCES SIDE OF THE NEGOTIATING TABLE ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR OWN FIELD. IT FOLLOWS, THEREFORE, THAT OUR OWN SHIPPERS' COUNCILS MUST BE NO LESS PROFESSIONAL.

+ THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG IS AWARE OF THIS AND, BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE HONG KONG SHIPPERS' COUNCIL, HAS ENABLED THE COUNCIL TO OBTAIN THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF IT NEEDS TO FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS,+ HE SAID.

AS TO THE FUTURE, MR PURVES SUGGESTED THAT A REGIONAL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS, IN ADDITION TO THE RUNNING OF TRAINING COURSES, WOULD BE A SUITABLE WAY OF EXTENDING LEARNING THROUGH REGIONAL COOPERATION.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE COURSE, RUN BY THE HONG KONG SHIPPERS' COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, IS TO TRAIN EXECUTIVES OF SHIPPERS' COUNCILS. AND OTHER INSTITUTES CONNECTED WITH SHIPPERS' AFFAIRS, SO THAT THEY WILL IN TURN ORGANISE TRAINING COURSES AND TRANSFER THE IR SKILL AT COUNTRY LEVEL.

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