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FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1984

THE STUDY WAS CONSIDERED BY THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD IN JULY 1983 FOLLOWING WHICH AN AD HOC WORKING GROUP, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY WAS APPOINTED IN AUGUST 1983 TO EXAMINE IN DETAIL THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE GIVEN PRACTICAL EFFECT WITHIN EXISTING GOVERNMENT POLICY.

OF THE TEN RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE STUDY, THREE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE PROVISION OF INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT FACILITIES. THEY ARE:

* THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

CENTRE (ETDC);

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PRECISION METAL-WORKING

STITUTE (PMI) AND

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* THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING

INSTITUTE (CIMI).

THE AD HOC WORKING GROUP SUPPORTED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN PRINCIPLE BUT FELT THAT THE CIMI PROPOSAL SHOULD BE PURSUED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION PROPOSAL. THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDED THAT THE FUNDING OF THE ETDC AND THE PMI COULD BE DONE ON THE BASIS OF AN AD VALOREM LEVY ON ELECTRONICS EXPORTS WHICH COULD BE AT A RATE OF 0.03 PER CENT AS IN THE CASE OF THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING LEVY.

THE WORKING GROUP FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT THE VIEWS OF THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY AND THE MAJOR TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS SHOULD BE SOUGHT ON THE PROPOSED FACILITIES AND METHODS OF FINANCING.

OTHER MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AD HOC WORKING GROUP ARE AS FOLLOWS:

* THE PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INDUSTRY

DEPARTMENT SHOULD OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO DEVELOP THE VARIOUS ASPECTS TO A PROPOSAL FOR A STUDY ON VENTURE CAPITAL.

* THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL SHOULD BE INVITED TO WORK WITH

THE PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE WITH A VIEW TO SUBSCRIBING TO OVERSEAS MARKET STUDIES AND LOCALIZING THE FINDINGS TO MAKE THEM DIGESTIBLE TO THE LOCAL INDUSTRY.

* TO EXPEDITE FOREIGN CERTIFICATION: GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE

LOGISTIC SUPPORT TO SPEED-UP APPROVAL PROCEDURE.

* TO USE DOMESTIC DEMAND FOR THE STIMULATION OF TECHNOLOGY-

INTENSE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY.

* TO MONITOR THE STATUS OF THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY ON

A REGULAR BASIS.

/THE INDUSTRY

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