XN000022-1986-04-23 — Page 43

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1986

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LABOUR FORCE MUST BE ADAPTABLE

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THE LABOUR FORCE MUST CONTINUE TO BE ADAPTABLE, INNOVATIVE, SKILLED AND MOTIVATED IF HONG KONG IS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE FIELD IN THE PROVISION OF GOODS AND SERVICES FOR THE WORLD MARKET AT ATTRACTIVE PRICES, EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, MR ALLEN LEE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+WE ARE CONSTANTLY ADAPTING, AS THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW HONG KONG CAN BEAR WITNESS. WE HAVE BEEN MOVING UP MARKET AND DIVERSIFYING IN TERMS OF BOTH PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES FOR SOME YEARS NOW.

+THE TRUE IMAGE OF HONG KONG TODAY IS THAT OF HIGH QUALITY TEXTILES, CLOTHING, WATCHES AND TOYS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL CENTRES IN THE FAR EAST AND ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST EFFICIENT PORTS IN THE WORLD, HE SAID.

MR LEE WAS SPEAKING IN BANGKOK AT THE 42ND PLENARY SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC. HE IS LEADING THE HONG KONG DELEGATION.

+ IT IS TO DEFEND AND DEVELOP OUR POSITION THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OURSELVES. WE HAVE NOT, AND WILL NOT, RESORT TO PROTECTIONIST MEASURES. WE WANT TO COMPETE ON EQUAL TERMS WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD.

+ IT IS THIS ATTITUDE THAT DEMANDS WE GIVE OUR FULLEST ATTENTION TO THE UPGRADING OF OUR EDUCATION, AND IN PARTICULAR, OUR TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS, HE STRESSED.

SPEAKING ON THIS YEAR'S THEME, +HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT: ITS TECHNOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS+, MR LEE SAID THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THAT ITS ROLE WAS TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE WORKFORCE TO ACQUIRE THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE FOR ITS FUTURE PROSPERITY.

+AND IT IS ONLY THROUGH THE PROVISION OF THE NECESSARY EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE HUMAN RESOURCES OF HONG KONG CAN BE PROPERLY DEVELOPED, HE ADDED.

HE TOLD PARTICIPANTS THAT THESE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH OFTEN HAD A HIGH TECHNOLOGY CONTENT, INCLUDED TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, COMPUTER EDUCATION, PREVOCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, TECHNICIAN AND CRAFT TRAINING, TERTIARY EDUCATION, ADULT EDUCATION, EDUCATION FOR THE DISABLED AS WELL AS TRAINING IN THE FIELD OF PERFORMING ARTS.

MR LEE ALSO SAID THAT THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, WHICH HAD BEEN WELL RECEIVED BOTH WITHIN HONG KONG AND INTERNATIONALLY, HAD GIVEN A CONSIDERABLE BOOST TO CONFIDENCE.

/+THE FIRST