XN000022-1987-02-05 — Page 5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1987

MR HO OUTLINED TO HIS AUDIENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION FOR THE FUTURE STABILITY OF HONG KONG, BOTH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL AND THE GOOD PROGRESS THAT HAD BEEN MADE IN IMPLEMENTING IT.

+THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHICH WAS SET UP TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997 HAS ALREADY REACHED AGREEMENT ON MANY ISSUES OF SIGNIFICANCE TO HONG KONG - THE PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG AS A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE, THE PRINCIPLES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER, THE DESIGN OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD WHICH WILL REMAIN VALID AFTER 1997, TO NAME JUST A FEW EXAMPLES,+ HE SAID.

FORD GETS INSIGHT INTO LABOUR DEPARTMENT

*****

THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, MR DAVID FORD, SPENT THE AFTERNOON TODAY (THURSDAY) VISITING VARIOUS OFFICES OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT ON HONG KONG ISLAND.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR TONY HAMMOND, MR FORD FIRST CALLED AT THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE AT THE DEPARTMENT'S HEADQUARTERS IN HARBOUR BUILDING.

THE CENTRE, RUN BY THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE, PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF BASIC AND ADVANCED SAFETY TRAINING COURSES FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND STAFF OF THE LABOUR AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

MR FORD LEARNT THAT THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF ORGANISING THESE TRAINING COURSES WAS TO ENABLE PARTICIPANTS TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE ACTS AND UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS IN THEIR OWN WORKING ENVIRONMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH KNOWLEDGE IN TACKLING SAFETY PROBLEMS.

LAST YEAR MORE THAN 10 000 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN THE 358 COURSES ORGANISED BY THE CENTRE.

BEFORE LEAVING HEADQUARTERS, MR FORD HAD AN INFORMAL MEETING AND DISCUSSION WITH THE DIRECTORATE AND SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS.

HE THEN VISITED THE LABOUR RELATIONS DIVISION'S HONG KONG EAST OFFICE IN NEW RODNEY BLOCK, QUEENSWAY.

/MR FORD