XN000022-1983-03-25 — Page 6

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1983

5

THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO ANXIOUS TO ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO TAKE > ENGINEERING, AND ITS RELATED TECHNICAL SUPPORT OCCUPATIONS

>S A PROFESSION, BECAUSE HONG KONG WOULD NOT PROSPER IN THIS MODERN WORLD IF THEY DID NOT.

SIR EDWARD TOLD THE ENGINEERS THAT +NO PROFESSION IS COMPLETE UNTO ITSELF+.

+EACH PROFESSION MUST SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF WHICH IT FORMS PART.

AND THAT COMMUNITY HAS A LEGITIMATE INTEREST IN WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU DO IT. IT IS THE COMMUNITY WHO PAY FOR OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMMES AND IT IS THEY WHO WILL BENEFIT OR SUFFER FROM THE PRODUCTS OF THOSE PROGRAMMES.

+THE COMMUNITY TOO WILL PURCHASE AND USE THE PRODUCTS WHICH YOU PLAN, DESIGN AND PRODUCE. I TRUST, THEREFORE THAT YOUR INSTITUTION WILL ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN EAR TO THE VIEWS OF THAT COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

THE ENGINEERS HAD RESPONIBILITIES IN OTHER DIRECTIONS AS WELL, SIR EDWARD SAID.

THERE WERE MANY ASPECTS OF ENGINEERING WHICH HAD THEIR DANGERS BOTH FOR THE WORKFORCE AND FOR THE PUBLIC, WHETHER IN THE USE OF MACHINERY ON THE FACTORY FLOOR, THE CONTROL OF SITES AND THE ERECTION OF TEMPORARY STRUCTURES DURING CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS OR DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH BUILDING,

WHILE LEGISLATION AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS COULD MEET PART OF THE PROBLEM, IN THE LAST RESORT IT WAS THE EXERCISE OF PRUDENCE AND GOOD MANAGEMENT DISCIPLINE, OFTEN ON THE PART OF ENGINEERS, WHICH COULD HELP KEEP SUCH OPERATIONS SAFE.

THERE WAS ALSO LEGISLATION EITHER IN FORCE OR UNDER CONSIDERATION TO COVER VARIOUS TYPES OF POLLUTION FROM DUST, CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES OR NOISE.

+ENGINEERING SKILL, GOOD MANAGEMENT, AND IMAGINATIVE SELECTION OF EQUIPMENT CAN DO MUCH TO COMPLEMENT THAT LEGISLATION AND PREVENT POLLUTION FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE TO THE UNDOUPTED LONG-TERM BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, SIR EDWARD SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE PROFESSION AND THE WORK OF THE INSTITUTION.

AND IT WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE ENGINEERS WOULD, ON THEIR PART, RECOGNISE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE FAST THEY COULD PLAY IN MAKING HONG KONG A BETTER AND MORE PROSPEROUS PLACE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.