XN000022-1983-09-24 — Page 5

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1983

IMPORTANCE OF TECHNICAL TRAINING STRESSED

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WITH HONG KONG BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY, NEED FOR RST-CLASS CRAFT AND TECHNICIAN TRAINING HA NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT, THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE KOWLOON- CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION, MR D.W. HOWES, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

MR HOWES WAS SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF GOVERNMENT APPRENTICES AT THE CIVIL AID SERVICES HEADQUARTERS.

HE SAID THAT WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY BEING EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO INVEST VAST SUMS OF MONEY IN NEW CAPITAL SQUIPMENT AND NOT HAVE ADEQUATE OR FULLY TRAINED STAFF TO MAINTAIN IT.

MR HOWES SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WOULD DEPEND IN GREAT MEASURE UPON THE SKILLS OF ITS WORK FORCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRST-CLASS APPRENTICE TRAINING THUS BECAME VERY OBVIOUS,

+ I THINK THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE OWES A GREAT DEBT TO THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES AND ESPECIALLY THE APPRENTICE TRAINING STAFF FOR THE TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION THEY HAVE MADE, HE ADDED.

MR HOWES THEN PRESENTED CERTIFICATES TO 12 TECHNICIANS AND 51 CRAFT APPRENTICES.

HE ALSO PRESENTED THE LAISHLEY CUP TO THE TOP CRAFT APPRENTICE, MR YIP KWOK-KA, OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SOME 203 TECHNICIAN APPRENTICES AND 875 CRAFT APPRENTICES HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE GOVERNMENT APPRENTICES TRAINING SCHEME SINCE ITS INAUGURATION IN SEPTEMBER 1969.

THAI OFFICIALS COMPLETE ANTI-NARCOTICS TRAINING IN HK

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A GROUP OF 10 THAI OFFICIALS HAS GAINED A DEEP IMPRESSION OF THE ANTI-NARCOTICS WORK IN HONG KONG DURING A THREE-WEEK TRAINING COURSE HERE.

THE TRAINING PROGRAMME, WHICH ENDED TODAY (SATURDAY), WAS ORGANISED BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION.

THE 10 VISITORS, WHO ARE SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BANGKOK MÉTROPOLITAN ADMINISTRATION OF THAILAND, HAVE SEEN NARCOTICS TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FACILITIES AS WELL AS NARCOTICS PREVENTION WORK IN HONG KONG.

THEY HAVE ALSO VISITED VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT? AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.

WE

+HONG KONG HAS SET A GOOD EXAMPLE IN NARCOTICS TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION, PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY WORK. SHALL TAKE BACK HONG KONG'S EXPERIENCE WHICH WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO US, SAID DR CHITT SINCHAIPANICH, LEADER OF THE GROUP, BEFORE LEAVING HONG KONG TODAY (SATURDAY).

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