XN000022-1986-04-23 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1986

TURNING TO INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT PROMOTION, MR HO SAID THE EXISTING NETWORK OF FIVE OVERSEAS OFFICES THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HAD, OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, ACHIEVED SATISFACTORY GROWTH RATES IN THE QUANTUM OF OVERSEAS INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING SECTOR AND WAS LIKELY TO MAINTAIN THE SAME MOMENTUM IN 1986.

+ THE DEPARTMENT HAS ON ITS BOOKS NO FEWER THAN 531 PROJECTS IN VARYING DEGREES OF INTEREST AND COMMITMENT. +

MR HO SAID THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND THE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL WERE CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING UP A STER ILISATION PLANT.

EXPLAINING GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO COMBAT PROTECTIONISM. MR HO SAID: +OUR OFFICES IN THE U.S. AND EUROPE WILL CONTINUÉ TO WORK UNCEASINGLY IN SUPPORT OF THE FREE AND FAIR TRADE CAUSE.

+OUR OVERALL OPERATIONAL EFFORTS IN THIS AREA ARE COORDINATED BY A COMMITTEE I HAVE ESTABLISHED WITH MEMBERSHIP DRAWN FROM THE TRADE AND TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD, WITH THE ADDITION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TDC.

+VIEWS OF OUR TRADE AND INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMITTEE ARE AN ESSENTIAL INPUT FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK, + HE SAID.

OPENING OF NEW SCHOOLS IN TUEN MUN ADVANCED *****

THE OPENING OF 17 NEW SCHOOLS ALREADY PLANNED FOR TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG WILL BE ADVANCED AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE AND EIGHT ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS WILL BE REPROVISIONED TO TUEN MUN FROM AREAS OF SURPLUS PROVISION, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, MR HENDERSON SAID THE PROBLEM WHICH HAD BEEN ENCOUNTERED IN TUEN MUN ILLUSTRATED THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN PLOTTING POPULATION TRENDS, FORECASTING AGE STRUCTURE AND IN FORMULATING PLANS FOR THE SITING AND CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS SUFFICIENTLY FAR IN ADVANCE.

+ IN TUEN MUN, THE UNEXPECTED FACTOR WAS NOT THE BUILD-UP OF POPULATION IN ABSOLUTE NUMBERS BUT ITS HIGHLY ATYPICAL AGE STRUCTURE WHEN COMPARED WITH THAT OF THE TERRITORY AS A WHOLE,+ HE SAID.

/TO TRY ..................