XN000022-1983-03-23 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1983

ALTHOUGH GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS OFFERING ADULT EDUCATION COURSES HAD BEEN INCREASING FROM $300 000 IN 1981-82, $434 000 IN 1982-83 TO $1.88 MILLION IN 1983-84, DR HO SAID, THERE WAS A LACK OF CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN THE

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED TO ENABLE ITS FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

+I THEREFORE VENTURE TO SUGGEST THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ADULT EDUCATION, TO BE FORMED ALONG THE LINES OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WITH MEMBERSHIP COMPRISING BOTH GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT EXPERTS IN THIS SUBJECT, HE SAID.

THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, DR HO ADDED, SHOULD CO-ORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION AND ADVISE ON THE PRINCIPLES OF SUBVENTION APPLICABLE TO ELIGIBLE ORGANISATIONS. IT SHOULD ALSO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE TRAINING OF ADULT EDUCATION TEACHERS, DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING MATERIALS AND OTHER FACILITIES FOR RUNNING ADULT EDUCATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES.

ON THE SUBJECT OF LABOUR AND MANAGEMENT RELATION, DR HO EMPHASISED THAT BOTH THE WORKERS AND THE MANAGEMENT SHOULD SHARE ONE COMMON GOAL - TO SECURE A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THEMSELVES, FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THE COMMUNITY OF WHICH THEY WERE AN INTEGRAL PART.

HE SAID THAT AT THIS TIME OF SHRINKING WORLD TRADE, MOUNTING PROTECTIONISM AND INCREASING UNILATERAL RESTRICTIONS, SECTORAL AIMS MUST BE RELEGATED AND CO-OPERATION INSTALLED IN A BID TO WEATHER THE ECONOMIC ADVERSITIES,

HE WAS THEREFORE PLEASED TO SEE THAT LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S LABOUR RELATIONS DIVISION WHICH WAS CHARGED WITH THE TASK OF PROMOTING A HARMONIOUS LABOUR AND MANAGEMENT RELATIONS, HAD BEGUN TO TAKE MORE INITIATIVE IN CREATING A CONGENIAL CLIMATE FOR THE NURTURING OF A POSITIVE LABOUR RELATIONS POLICIES AND PRACTICES.

WITH AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION BUDGETED FOR IN 1983-84, DR HO SAID, HE HOPED THAT THE DIVISION WOULD EXPAND ITS PROMOTION AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES IN TERMS OF BOTH SIZE OF AUDIENCE AND VARIETY AND REVIEW ITS CURRENT CONCILIATION STRATEGIES ON LABOUR DISPUTES.

THE DIVISION SHOULD ALSO INCULCATE IN MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR A NEW SOCIAL ATTITUDE AND ETHICAL COMMITMENT TOWARD THE COMMON GOOD OF THE WIDER COMMUNITY AND PROMOTE THE DESIRABILITY OF THE USE OF PEACEFUL AND NON-LITIGIOUS MEANS ON THE PART OF THE LABOUR TO PURSUE THEIR SECTORAL INTERESTS, HE ADDED.

DISCUSSING POLICE STRENGTH IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE NOTED THAT THE POPULATION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD INCREASE FROM 1.5 MILLION IN 1982 TO 1.6 MILLION THIS YEAR.

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