XN000022-1983-11-23 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1983

+I CAN PERSONALLY TESTIFY TO THE ACCURACY OF HIS ASSERTION THAT THIS WAS A HARD-WORK ING COMMITTEE, LIKE ANY OTHER CHAIRED BY SIR S.Y. CHUNG, BUT IT WAS HARD WORK OF THE MOST REWARDING KIND, HE SAID.

+ I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE HAD THE FULLEST POSSIBLE CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT FROM ALL LEVELS OF THE GOVERNMENT INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE, FOR WHICH WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL, HE ADDED.

MR CHEN ALSO THANKED THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC WHICH PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE NOT ONLY WITH SECRETARIAL AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, BUT ALSO WITH ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND DATA COMPUTER ISED OVER THE PAST DECADE WHICH ENABLED THE COMMITTEE TO PREDICT FUTURE TRENDS AND ESTIMATE RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS WITH SPEED, ACCURACY AND CONFIDENCE.

+WHILST THERE IS NO INTENTION THAT THE HONG KONG AND CITY POLYTECHNICS SHOULD BE IDENTICAL TWINS, OR THAT THE FIRST SHOULD IN ANY SENSE BE REGARDED AS THE PARENT OF THE SECOND, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT IN THE BIRTH OF THIS NEW POLYTECHNIC, THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC HAS PLAYED A COMPETENT AND SIGNIFICANT ROLE, HE SAID,

DR HO SAID, THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION WILL NOT ONLY LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN THE SUPPLY OF A TECHNOLOGICALLY COMPETENT MANPOWER TO MEET THE NEED OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR INDUSTRIAL DIVERSIFICATION, BUT WILL ALSO REFLECT THE GOVERNMENT'S CONFIDENCE AND VIGOROUS INVESTMENT IN THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE.+

HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT A PROPER INDUSTRIAL INFRA-STRUCTURE AND A SOUND ÉCONOMY REQUIRED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM TECHNICAL PERSONNEL AT ALL LEVELS.

HE SAID IT WAS IMPERATIVE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL MANPOWER AND AVOID A TOP- HEAVY STRATEGY IN TRAINING.

+THE DANGERS OF AN EXCESSIVE SUPPLY OF TECHNOLOGISTS TRAINED AT UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS ARE OBVIOUS.

+A BALANCED MIX OF GENERALS AND RANK AND FILE, SO TO SPEAK, IS A MORE VIABLE PROPOSITION, HE SAID.

POINTING OUT THAT THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL AND THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT HAD DONE EXCELLENT JOBS IN CO-ORDINATING, PROMOTING ANF ADMINISTERING TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AT THE TECHNICIAN AND CRAFTSMAN LEVELS, DR HO SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM GIVEN THE SAME STRONG SUPPORT, IF NOT MORE, BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THANK ING DR FANG, MR CHEN AND DR HO FOR THE IR SUPPORT OF THIS BILL, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON SAID HE NOTED DR FANG'S REMARKS ABOUT HOSTELS.

+HOWEVER THE SITING OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC WAS VERY CAREFULLY CONSIDERED TO GIVE MAXIMUM ACCESSIBILITY TO BOTH FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME STUDENTS, HE ADDED.

/HE AGREED