XN000022-1991-07-17 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1991

HE SAID THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY WOULD HELP MEET ANY TRAINING DEMANDS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD ALSO CONTACT THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL FOR ASSISTANCE IF THE NEED AROSE. ALSO, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TOO STOOD READY TO RENDER ASSISTANCE TO

WORKERS.

SOME LEGISLATORS HAD EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT WORKERS WHO WERE ENGAGED IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES THAT CAME AFTER LINKING AND LOOPING MIGHT ALSO BE AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

SIR PIERS SAID SUCH MANUFACTURING PROCESSES COULD OF COURSE ALREADY BE PERFORMED ELSEWHERE. HE SAID SOME MANUFACTURERS WERE ALREADY FOLLOWING THIS OPTION.

SIR PIERS BELIEVED THAT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WORK, MOST WORKERS WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND A NEW JOB WITHOUT MUCH DIFFICULTY, GIVEN THAT THERE WERE SOME 14,000 REPORTED VACANCIES IN THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY.

RESPONDING TO SOME LEGISLATORS' DEMANDS TO PRESS THE U.S. TO REVERT TO THE OLD RULES, HE SAID: "BUT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PERSUADE THEM TO REVERT TO THE OLD RULES.

"IN THE END, WE HAVE TO TURN TO THE PRESENT PROPOSALS TO REDRESS THE PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID THE ADMINISTRATION HAD RECOGNISED THAT THE CHANGES INTRODUCED BY THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE SPECIAL CONTROL OF ARRANGEMENTS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE TEXTILE EXPORT CONTROL SCHEME, WHICH HAD BEEN WIDELY RECOGNISED BY HONG KONG'S TRADING PARTNERS AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN THE WORLD.

"WE INTEND TO INTRODUCE A SPECIAL LICENSING AND CONTROL SCHEME DESIGNED TO ENFORCE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS RELATING ΤΟ DIFFERENT MARKETS," HE SAID.

THE NEW SCHEME WOULD BE MODELLED ON EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS WHILE THE TRADE DEPARTMENT AND THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT WOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THIS SPECIAL CONTROL SCHEME AND INTRODUCE IMPROVEMENTS IF NECESSARY.

THE BILL WAS PASSED WITH AMENDMENTS.

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