XN000022-1983-01-17 — Page 2

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1983

HK DESIGNS FIRST PRODUCT OF ITS KIND IN WORLD

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THE WINNING ENTRY FOR THE 1983 GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN IS THE FIRST PRODUCT OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

THE PRODUCT, A +CHESS ROBOT ADVERSARY+ DESIGNED BY NOVAG INDUSTRIES LIMITED, IS AN INGENIOUS DESIGN COMBINING ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, COMPUTER AND ROBOTIC ENGINEERING SKILLS+, SIR EDWARD SAID AT THE AWARD PRESENTATION HELD AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

+THE PRODUCT IS DOUBLY REPRESENTATIVE OF HONG KONG AND ITS INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK.

+NOT ONLY DOES IT SHOW INNOVATION AND HIGH QUALITY DESIGN: IT HAS ALSO BEEN DEVELOPED BY A TEAM OF ENGINEERS AND RESEARCHERS OF MANY NATIONALITIES, IN HONG KONG ITSELF, WITH SOME TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM OVERSEAS,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.

THE TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH FOLLOWS.

+MR TANG, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

+SIR DAVID TRENCH WHOM I RECENTLY HAD THE PLEASURE OF ENTERTAINING HERE, WAS THE FIRST GOVERNOR TO PRESIDE OVER THE ANNUAL PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOR THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN. IN DOING SO, HE ACKNOWLEDGED NOT ONLY THE IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN TO THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO THE GOVERNMENT'S WISH THAT DESIGN CONSCIOUSNESS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED AMONG INDUSTRIALISTS, TRADERS AND STUDENTS ALIKE. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TONIGHT TO CONTINUE IN SIR DAVID'S, AND SIR MURRAY'S, FOOTSTEPS.

+AS AN EXPORT-ORIENTED ECONOMY, HONG KONG CAN NEVER BE IMMUNE TO THE VICISSITUDES OF THE WORLD ECONOMY AND TIMES ARE CERTAINLY NOT EASY FOR OUR MANUFACTURING AND EXPORT TRADES. AS YOU HAVE POINTED OUT, THE INCREASED COMPETITION WHICH HARD TIMES BRING, MADE IT ALL THE MORE NECESSARY FOR INDUSTRY TO PRESS AHEAD WITH NEW IDEAS AND INNOVATIVE DESIGNS,

BUT

+ AM THUS GLAD TO SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO LET UP IN THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL DESIGN COUNCIL'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE GOOD DESIGN. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE COUNCIL'S ACTIVITIES, HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS ARE NOW MORE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN, OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD, AND OF THE PRESTIGE ATTACHING TO IT. I AM TOLD THAT THIS YEAR THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 62 ENTRIES FROM 41 COMPANIES, THE HIGHEST IN RECENT YEARS; AND THAT COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS THERE WERE MARKED IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF QUALITY, CONSTRUCTION, VALUE AND ECONOMY OF PRODUCTION. THE JUDGES OF THE COMPETITION WERE IMPRESSED BY THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY AND SOPHISTICATION INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE DESIGNS. THIS IS AN ENCOURAGING TREND, AND IS EVIDENCE OF THE POSITIVE STEPS BEING TAKEN BY INDUSTRY TO MOVE WITH THE TIMES AND REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN WORLD MARKETS.

/+I NOW