XN000022-1982-01-18 — Page 2

MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1982

INDUSTRIAL SUCCESS HELPED BY DESIGN CAPACITY, GOVERNOR SAYS

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HÔNG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL SUCCESS, DUE IN PARTICULAR TO ITS ABILITY TO ADAPT MORE QUICKLY THAN ITS COMPETITORS, HAS BEEN HENORMOUSLY ASSISTED BY ITS INCREASING DESIGN CAPACITY,+ THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID THIS EVENING.

SIR MURRAY WAS SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL PRESENTATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN, WHICH WAS WON FOR THE FIRST TIME BY A JEWELLERY ITEM, DESIGNED BY KEVIN JEWELRY.

IN HIS SPEECH AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SIR MURRAY SAID:

MR TANG, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS ANNUAL EVENT TO RECOGNISE THE BEST IN QUALITY AND DESIGN OF OUR INDUSTRY.

HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS IS A BRILLIANT RECORD BY ANY STANDARDS, EVEN LAST YEAR WHEN TRADING CONDITIONS IN OVERSEAS MARKETS WERE POOR, INTEREST RATES HIGH AND COMPETITION KEEN OUR DOMESTIC EXPORTS FOR THE FIRST ELEVEN MONTHS WERE UP 17 PER CENT IN VALUE COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD IN 1980, AND RE-EXPORTS 40 PER CENT. AND I HAVE NO REASON TO EXPECT THAT THIS YEAR THE FIGURES WILL BE WORSE AND THEY MAY WELL BE BETTER OVER THE YEAR AS A WHOLE. THE SUCCESS WHICH THIS REFLECTS IS DUE TO MANY THINGS, BUT IN PARTICULAR TO OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT MORE QUICKLY THAN OUR COMPETITORS.

THIS ABILITY TO ADAPT IS ENORMOUSLY ASSISTED BY OUR INCREASING DESIGN CAPACITY. THIS CAPACITY HAS RESPONDED TO THE DEVOTED NURSING OF THE DESIGN COUNCIL AND THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES, AS A WHOLE. THE GOVERNMENT WILL DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO ASSIST AND THIS FINANCIAL YEAR GOVERNMENT INCREASED ITS SUBVENTION BY 90 PER CENT.

THIS YEAR, I SEE THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME A JEWELLERY ITEM HAS WON THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD. THE WINNING PRODUCT IS A PAIR CF 18K GOLD EARRINGS WITH 52 HEART-SHAPED DIAMONDS DESIGNED BY KEVIN JEWELRY. THIS UNIQUE DESIGN IS ALSO AWARDED THE SCMP AWARD FOR DESIGN ORIGINALITY, I CONGRATULATE THE DESIGNERS FOR THEIR HIGH CREATIVE STANDARD.

LADITO AND TATLEMEN, I NOW HAVE GREAT PLEASURE IN

TO RECEI

CALL!

REPRESENTATIVE OF KEVIN JEWELRY TO COME FORWARD THE TROPHY,