XN000022-1984-03-28 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1984

HE SAID THAT THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ESTIMATED COSTS BASED ON THE FINAL PLANS WERE HIGHER THAN THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES WHICH WERE INCLUDED IN THE VTC'S ESTIMATES OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR 1982-83.

+THEY ARE, HOWEVER, ABOUT THE SAME AS THE UPDATED ESTIMATES INCLUDED IN THE VTC'S ESTIMATES FOR 1984-85,+ HE ADDED.

DR TIEN SAID, WHAT IS WORRYING THE VTC IS WHAT HAPPENS IF FACILITIES IT CONSIDERS NECESSARY AND WHICH ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPROVED EDUCATIONAL POLICY FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES ARE THEN CONSIDERED AS UNNECESSARY BY GOVERNMENT?

+FURTHER, WHAT IF IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE GOVERNMENT, THE INSTITUTES HAVE TO BE TOTALLY RE-DESIGNED? SHOULD THE VTC GO BACK TO SQUARE ONE?+.

HE WARNED THAT IF THE LATTER WERE THE CASE, NOT ONLY WOULD THE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY ALREADY PAID TO THE CONSULTANT ARCHITECTS AS FEES GO DOWN THE DRAIN, BUT ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PROJECTS WOULD BE DELAYED BY AT LEAST AN ACADEMIC YEAR.

+IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, THE VTC AND THE PUBLIC WOULD REGARD THIS AS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, HE SAID.

POINTING OUT THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THE INSTITUTES AND THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR CRIES OUT FOR THEM, DR TIEN STRESSED THAT GOVERNMENT MUST NOT FAIL BY OPTING FOR INFERIOR INSTITUTIONS AND DELAY.

DR TIEN WELCOMED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION. +THE COMMISSION, WITH ITS MANDATE TO REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL WITHIN SIX MONTHS ITS VIEWS ON THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE LLEWELLYN REPORT, WILL HAVE TO WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE ITS IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES, HE SAID.

+WITH THE WILLING SUPPORT OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, OF WHICH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL IS ONE, I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THOSE OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVED, + HE ADDED.

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