XN000022-1984-03-28 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1984

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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A GOVERNMENT LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SYSTEM AS PART OF AN IMPROVED AND MORE CLEARLY INDEPENDENT RANGE OF QUALITY CERTIFICATION SERVICES. THE FIRST ACCREDITATION HOPEFULLY WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR;

THE SETTING UP OF A GOVERNMENT STANDARDS AND CALIBRATION LABORATORY. THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN OVER THE PREMISES AND THE EQUIPMENT AT A COST OF $15 MILLION. THE LABORATORY SHOULD BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE CALIBRATION OF EQUIPMENT LATER THIS YEAR;

* THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE MICROPROCESSOR DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY

IN THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE, THE FUNCTIONS OF WHICH ARE TO PROMOTE THE APPLICATION OF MICROPROCESSORS

IN INDUSTRY;

* THE PROVISION OF FUNDS AMOUNTING TO $4 MILLION AT HONG

KONG UNIVERSITY, THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY AND THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC FOR RESEARCH INTO VARIOUS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FABRICATION AND USE OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND

INTO THE COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITIVE INVOLVEMENT WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT IN FEBRUARY 1982 OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.

THIS COUNCIL IS VESTED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FOR THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THREE NEW TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND THE SETTING UP OF TWO INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CENTRE COMPLEXES.

J

ALSO, THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD WAS APPOINTED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PLAN, MONITOR AND ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON VARIOUS PROGRAMMES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

THE BOARD KEEPS THE GOVERNMENT AND IN PARTICULAR THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT ON ITS TOES SO AS TO ENSURE THAT THE IMPETUS GAINED BY SETTING UP THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION IS NOT LOST IN WHAT MR YAXLEY DESCRIBED AS A SOGGY MASS OF BUREAUCRATIC COTTON WOOL+,

HE SAID THAT THESE WERE ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INCREASING SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY.

+I HAVE NOT MENTIONED, FOR EXAMPLE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO FUNDED REPORTS ON THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, ON THE FACILITATION OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OR ON THE LIGHT METALS

INDUSTRY OR INDEED THE WHOLE RANGE OF SUPPORT FACILITIES PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL WHICH IN 1984-85 WILL RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM PUBLIC FUNDS TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST $30 MILLION.

+WHILE WE REMAIN CONVINCED THAT INDUSTRY SHOULD NOT BE UNDULY INTERFERED WITH. WE ARE NOT BLIND TO THE FACT THAT AS AN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY SUCH AS OURS CONTINUES TO DEVELOP AND TO BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED, THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE TO PROVIDE AN EVER GROWING VARIETY OF SUPPORT SERVICES,+ MR YAXLEY SAID.

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