XN000022-1987-03-18 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1987

HE DID NOT FAVOUR THE SUGGESTION THAT WORKING WIVES SHOULD GET AN ALLOWANCE AS THIS APPROACH, IF ADOPTED, MIGHT NOT BE A PERMANENT SOLUTION.

ON THE GENERAL QUESTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE SALARY LEVELS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE SHOULD BE KEPT WITHIN THE RATE OF INFLATION AND BE BROADLY COMPARABLE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID HE WELCOMED THE GOVERNMENT TAKING ON A HIGHER AND MORE SOPHISTICATED PROFILE AS SEEN IN THE RECENT OPENING OF THE CAD/CAM CENTRE BY THE GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED BY THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT PROVISIONS WHICH WERE IMPLEMENTED ON JANUARY 1, 1986 HAD BROUGHT A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO MANY SMALL FACTORIES.

+MANY SMALL FACTORIES ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CAPABILITY TO FULFIL THESE PROVISIONS AND ARE TRANSFERRING THEIR PRODUCTION INTO CHINA AS FAST AS IS PRACTICABLE.

*WE WILL HAVE TO EXPEDITE THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTIVITY TO REPLACE THE LABOUR INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES WHICH ARE INEXORABLY BEING TRANSFERRED INTO CHINA, HE SAID.

LOOKING AT THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF PRESERVING STABLE LABOUR RELATIONS, HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO MOVE TOWARDS A PUBLIC CONCENSUS ON A PROVIDENT FUND SYSTEM WHICH DID NOT HAVE TO BE A GOVERNMENT MANAGED SYSTEM, BUT WHICH COULD BE ADAPTED TO HONG KONG CONDITIONS WHEREBY WORKERS WOULD GET PROTECTION IN THEIR OLD AGE, BUT WHICH WOULD NOT CAUSE HONG KONG PRODUCTS TO BE OVER-PRICED IN WORLD MARKETS.

REGARDING COMMUNITY AND WELFARE SERVICES, MR CHEONG-LEEN AGAIN CALLED FOR THE SETTING UP OF AN OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN ORDER TO PLAN AND COORDINATE POLICIES AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATION TO MAKE LIFE MORE BEARABLE AND ENJOYABLE FOR THE GROWING NUMBER OF SENIOR CITIZENS.

ON PUBLIC HOUSING, HE SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GOOD QUALITY, SUBSIDISED HOUSING FOR NEARLY 800 000 PEOPLE IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

HE ALSO URGED THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO ENCOURAGE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO GIVE GREATER EMPHASIS TO HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEMES.

+EVEN LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES WOULD NOWADAYS LIKE TO OWN THEIR OWN HOMES, AND GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE THEM EVERY PRACTICAL SUPPORT POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO BUILD UP THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING AND COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.

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