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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1987

BOLDER SOLUTION TO LABOUR SHORTAGE NEEDED

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD COME UP WITH A BOLDER AND MORE EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO THE LABOUR SHORTAGE PROBLEM, THE HON F.K. HU SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS, MR HU SAID HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT HAD OUTGROWN THE POPULATION AND THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO THE NECESSARY WORK.

"IF THIS CONDITION IS NOT REMEDIED IN TIME, THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG WILL BE SEVERELY HAMPERED, HE SAID.

甲

FUTURE

CITING JUNE STATISTICS, MR HU SAID THERE WERE 42,300, 14,850 AND 5,940 REPORTED VACANCIES RESPECTIVELY IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, THE WHOLESALE AND RELATED TRADES SECTOR AND THE FINANCE AND BUSINESS SECTOR, MARKING A 85.2 PER CENT, 109.9 PER CENT AND 132.5 PER CENT RISE RESPECTIVELY OVER JUNE LAST YEAR.

AND IN EACH OF THESE SECTORS, CONSIDERABLE WAGE INCREASES HAD BEEN INTRODUCED. "IT IS THEREFORE APPARENT THAT THE PROBLEM NOW IS NOT WHETHER THE EMPLOYERS ARE WILLING TO PAY ENOUGH TO GET PEOPLE TO WORK FOR THEM," HE SAID.

AND WAGE COMMENTED RUN AND

WHILE CONCEDING THAT LABOUR-SAVING METHODS ADJUSTMENTS WERE EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM, MR HU THAT THESE MEASURES WOULD ONLY WORK IN THE LONG OVER-DEPENDENCE ON THEM WOULD HAVE THE ADVERSE EFFECT OF BRING INFLATIONARY.

CUT BACK EXPENDITURE ON

"ONE WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS TO PUBLIC WORKS TO RELEASE MANPOWER ENGAGED IN PUBLIC WORKS ΤΟ OTHER SECTORS," HE SUGGESTED.

"THE MERIT OF THIS IS THAT IT

CAN REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR MANPOWER AND AVOID PUSHING UP INFLATION. HOWEVER, IN THE LONG RUN, THIS COULD MEAN THAT SOME OF OUR MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS ARE NOT COMPLETED ON TIME.

"I

ANOTHER FEASIBLE SOLUTION WAS TO RELAX IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS TO ALLOW LABOUR ΤΟ BE IMPORTED, MR HU SAID. "WE COULD CONSIDER IMPORTING WORKERS ON A CONTRACTUAL BASIS, UNDER WHICH THE WORKERS COULD ONLY WORK HERE FOR A SHORT AND LIMITED PERIOD. ON THE EXPIRY OF THAT PERIOD THEY WOULD HAVE TO RETURN ΤΟ THEIR OWN COUNTRIES," HE SAID.

"ANOTHER SHORT-TERM SOLUTION IS TO ALLOW CHINESE WORKERS ΤΟ WORK HERE ON A DAILY BASIS. THEY MAY CROSS THE BORDER IN AND RETURN TO CHINA IN THE EVENING.

THE

MORNING

"THIS MEASURE

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