XN000022-1988-12-05 — Page 2

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1988

GOVERNOR STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF PRODUCT COMPETITIVENESS

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THERE IS A NEED IN HONG KONG TO ENCOURAGE OTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF PRODUCT COMPETITIVENESS APART FROM GOOD DESIGN, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOR THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN, SIR DAVID SAID THE SCOPE OF THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR INDUSTRY WOULD BE EXPANDED NEXT YEAR TO COVER OTHER AREAS AS WELL AS DESIGN.

HONG

"WE SHALL BE DRAWING ON THE EXPERIENCE THAT THE FEDERATION OF KONG INDUSTRIES ALREADY HAS IN ORGANISING THE DESIGN

COMPETITION," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO RAISING BOTH THE TECHNICAL AND AESTHETIC STANDARDS OF DESIGN OF HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURED GOODS.

"IN 1985, WE SET UP THE HONG KONG DESIGN INNOVATION COMPANY WHICH ALLOWS NEW PRODUCT DESIGNS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE AT REASONABLE PRICES TO SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES.

"NEW FACILITIES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL FOR MANUFACTURERS TO OBTAIN EXPERT ADVICE IN THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF SOPHISTICATED AUDIO/VISUAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, SIR DAVID SAID.

IN ADDITION, THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL HAD INTRODUCED A SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME TO HELP LOCAL ENGINEERS RECEIVE OVERSEAS TRAINING IN THE DESIGN OF ADVANCED ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY, HE SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO SUBVENT DESIGN COURSES AS PART OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND TERTIARY EDUCATION PROGRAMMES.

THE

SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS' CONSCIOUSNESS OF IMPORTANCE OF GOOD DESIGN WAS SHOWN BY THE HIGH STANDARD OF PRODUCTS IN THIS YEAR'S COMPETITION.

ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE "GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN" A FACSIMILE COPIER MADE BY ELEC AND ELTEK DATA COMMUNICATION LTD, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE JUDGES HAD A DIFFICULT TASK WITH SO MANY COMPETING DESIGNS OF HIGH QUALITY.

HE DESCRIBED THE WINNING DESIGN AS "A STYLISH, COMPACT MACHINE WHICH CAN EASILY BE CARRIED AROUND FOR OUT-OF-OFFICE WORK",

"IT HAS ALL THE FEATURES ONE WOULD EXPECT IN A NORMAL FAX MACHINE; AND IT GIVES COPIES OF A SIMILAR QUALITY. IN ADDITION, PORTABILITY, AND ITS SMALL SIZE, GIVE THE USER ADDED FLEXIBILITY.

ITS

"THE PRODUCT