XN000022-1983-02-24 — Page 3

N

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1983

SIR PHILIP VISITS TRADE DEPARTMENT

***

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TODAY (THURSDAY) VISITED THE TRADE DEPARTMENT IN OCEAN CENTRE, KOWLOON.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT. SIR PHILIP TOURED THE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICES AND MET STAFF WORKING ON TEXTILE LICENSING, CERTIFICATION AND TRADE CONTROLS, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.

SIR PHILIP SHOWED PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THE PROGRESS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT PROJECT TO COMPUTERISE HONG KONG'S TEXTILE EXPORT LICENSING SYSTEMS.

THE PROJECT, WHICH WAS STARTED IN 1977 AND ESTIMATED TO COST $5 MILLION, TAKES THE SHAPE OF A THREE-PHASE PROGRAMME BEGINNING WITH THE USA SYSTEM, WHICH BECAME FULLY COMPUTERISED IN 1980.

COMPUTER ISATION OF THE EEC SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY MID-1983, AND THE FINAL PHASE COVERING THE OTHER REGIONS IS SCHEDULED TO BE READY BY 1986.

SIR PHILIP LATER MET ALL THE DIRECTORATE STAFF TO DISCUSS CURRENT TRADE ISSUES AND THE DEPARTMENT'S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

FS TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE

****

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR JOHN BREMRIDGE, WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE AT 4.30 PM TOMORROW (FRIDAY) IN THE GIS THEATRE, FIFTH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE. ALSO ATTENDING WILL BE THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY.

TELEVISION CREWS SHOULD ARRIVE EARLY TO SET UP THEIR EQUIPMENT.

/3