XN000022-1983-03-23 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1983

+CONSEQUENTLY SCHOOL BUILDINGS CAN BE DELAYED AND CHILDREN DEPRIVED OF THEIR RIGHTFUL EDUCATION.

+UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT PAID SUFFICIENT HEED TO THOSE IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS BROUGHT RAPIDLY TO CONCLUSION.

+THERE ARE SIMILAR DELAYS IN OTHER PROJECTS IN THE FIELD OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH, SHE SAID.

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AT THE END OF THESE DELAYS, MISS BENNETT CAUTIONED, IT WAS THE PUBLIC PURSE THAT SUFFERED +AS IT HAS TO MEET THE HIGHER COSTS CAUSED BY THE DELAYS+.

VITAL ROLE OF HEALTHY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY STRESSED

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A SOUND AND HEALTHY INDUSTRY WAS THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD GUARANTEE HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SURVIVAL AND INDEED ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, THE HON S.L. CHEN SAID TODAY AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE SAID HONG KONG'S MAIN EXPORT MARKETS WERE EXPECTING A MILD BUT GROWING RECOVERY THIS YEAR AND, IF THIS MATERIALISED, HONG KONG SHOULD SEE A GROWTH IN ITS EXPORTS AGAIN.

HOWEVER, HE WARNED, THAT UNLESS HONG KONG'S PRODUCTS WERE COMPETITIVE AND MAINTAINED THEIR COMPETITIVENESS, HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM AN UPTURN OF THE WORLD'S ECONOMY.

→IT IS THEREFORE VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR INDUSTRIALISTS MUST BE ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE WITH CONFIDENCE THEIR INVESTMENTS IN UPDATING THEIR PLANT AND EQUIPMENT AND IN IMPROVING THEIR PRODUCTION PROCESSES, WHILST AT THE SAME TIME THE GOVERNMENT MUST BE SEEN DOING ALL IT CAN WITHIN ESTABLISHED POLICY GUIDELINES TO ASSIST MAINTAINING INDUSTRY'S COMPETITIVE POSITION, HE SAID.

TO THIS END, MR CHEN NOTED THAT A NOTIONAL SUM OF $125 MILLION HAD BEEN SET ASIDE IN THE 1983-84 BUDGET FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING. IN ADDITION THERE WAS ALSO $1 300 MILLION EARMARKED FOR THE TWO UNIVERSITIES, THE BAPTIST COLLEGE, THE POLYTECHNIC AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SECOND POLYTECHNIC. VAST SUMS OF MONEY WOULD ALSO BE SPENT ON OTHER INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS DEVELOPMENT OF ROAD, RAIL AND PORT FACILITIES, SPONSORSHIPS OF INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH PROJECTS, INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT PROMOTION AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.

+ALL OF THESE MUST BE VIEWED AS EVIDENCE OF GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S POSITION IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET.

יזי'

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