XN000022-1989-11-22 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1989

SHE SAID THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ALSO APPROVED A GRANT OF $19.

1 MILLION TO ASSIST THE OPERATION OF THE CENTRE IN JUNE THIS YEAR WITH A VIEW THAT THE INTEREST GENERATED FROM THE FUND COULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE CENTRE'S OPERATION UP TO THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. BY WHICH TIME THE CENTRE COULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO GENERATE REVENUE ΤΟ COVER ABOUT 75 PER CENT OF ITS EXPENDITURE.

BUT THERE WERE DIFFERENT VIEWS AMONG SOME MEMBERS OF THE AD HỌC GROUP, SHE SAID, NOTING THAT ONE MEMBER FELT THE FEES AND CHARGES COLLECTED WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF THE CENTRE WHILE ANOTHER MEMBER BELIEVED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FULLY FUND THE OPERATION OF THE CENTRE.

OVER 1,000 IMPORTED WORKERS EXPECTED BY YEAR'S END

THE GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORKERS WILL HAVE ARRIVED BY THE END OF THE YEAR UNDER THE SPECIAL SCHEME FOR IMPORTING SKILLED LABOUR, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON K.Y. YEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON JAMES SAID THE SPECIAL SCHEME FOR IMPORTING SKILLED TEMPORARY MEASURE DESIGNED TO CRAFTSMAN AND SUPERVISORY LEVELS.

TIEN, MR YEUNG LABOUR WAS A

RELIEVE SHORTAGES AT TECHNICIAN,

"TO THE EXTENT THAT IT HAS OPENED UP AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF SUCH SKILLS, THE SCHEME HAS ACHIEVED ITS OBJECTIVE, HE SAID.

MR YEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THE SCHEME ALLOWED FOR THE ADMISSION OF UP TO 3,000 WORKERS.

"OF 8,470 WORKERS APPLIED FOR, THE ADMISSION OF 2,479 HAS BEEN APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE AND AS OF LAST WEEK 1.438 APPLICATIONS FOR VISAS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

"ABOUT 730 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND THE REMAINDER ARE BEING PROCESSED, HE SAID.

MR YEUNG ALSO SAID THAT THE STEERING GROUP THAT OVERSAN THE SCHEME WAS NOW REVIEWING IT AND WAS EXPECTED ΤΟ COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

"DEPENDING ON THE ADVICE OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL A DECISION ON THE FUTURE OF THE SCHEME IS LIKELY TO BE TAKEN EARLY NEXT YEAR, HE ADDED.

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