XN000022-1988-11-30 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1988

11

51 PHARMACISTS REGISTERED ANNUALLY

* *

THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT AWARE OF ANY SHORTAGE OF REGISTERED PHARMACISTS IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON T. H. CHAU, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON RONALD CHOW, MR CHAU SAID THAT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF HONG KONG PEOPLE COMPLETED DEGREE COURSES IN PHARMACY OVERSEAS AND RETURNED TO HONG KONG TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT.

"OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AN AVERAGE OF 51 QUALIFIED PHARMACISTS HAVE REGISTERED EACH YEAR WITH THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD," HE SAID.

"THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED PHARMACISTS IS CURRENTLY 644

||

+

THERE WERE NO PLANS ΤΟ INTRODUCE TRAINING TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

LANGUAGE TRAINING BASED ON NEED

* * * * *

IN PHARMACY AT

AND

THE GOVERNMENT'S LANGUAGE TRAINING POLICY IS BASED ON CURRENT FUTURE NEEDS, RATHER THAN THE CALENDAR, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, THE HON PETER TSAO, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR TSAO WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON NELLIE FONG.

MRS FONG HAD ASKED WHAT STEPS THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE TO IMPROVE CIVIL SERVANTS' PROFICIENCY IN PUTONGHUA IN VIEW OF THE INCREASING CONTACTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND CHINESE OFFICIALS AS

1997 APPROACHED.

"MOST HONG KONG PEOPLE USE ENGLISH OR CANTONESE, OR BOTH, MR T9AO SAID.

"

"BEARING IN MIND THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THAT CIVIL SERVANTS SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME TALKING TO EACH OTHER, OR TO THE PUBLIC THEY SERVE, PROFICIENCY IN THOSE TWO LANGUAGES

WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE.

"

AMR THAO