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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1991

SPEAKING AT THE 12TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TRIED TO STRENGTHEN ITS EXISTING SERVICES ΤΟ HELP EMPLOYERS OVERCOME RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION DIFFICULTIES.

"IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO RELIEVE LABOUR SHORTAGES IN

BOTTLENECK AREAS, THE GOVERNMENT IN 1989 AND 1990 APPROVED LIMITED SCHEMES FOR THE IMPORTATION OF WORKERS, INCLUDING A SPECIAL SCHEME TO FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW AIRPORT AND RELATED PROJECTS.

"IN

IMPORTING LABOUR, WE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE ́TO ENSURING THAT THE INTERESTS AND WELFARE OF LOCAL WORKERS ARE NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED,' HE STRESSED.

**

MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES OF HONG HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES WERE TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF ITS RESOURCES AND TO ENSURE ITS WORKFORCE WAS GIVEN AN APPROPRIATE OF THE PROSPERITY TO WHICH IT HAD CONTRIBUTION.

KONG'S

HUMAN SHARE

HE SAID THAT BY AND LARGE, WE COULD LEAVE IT TO MARKET FORCES

TO ENSURE THAT THESE OBJECTIVES WERE MET.

"BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LAY DOWN CERTAIN MINIMUM STANDARD OF WELFARE FOR OUR WORKFORCE AND TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THEM THROUGH LEGISLATIVE SANCTIONS, HE SAID.

**

"AS OUR BCONOMY GROWS IN SOPHISTICATION AND AS OUR LABOUR FORCE BECOMES MORE EDUCATED, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION DOES NOT LAG BEHIND THE LEGITIMATE ASPIRATIONS

LOCAL WORKFORCE.

OF

THE

"THE WELL-BEING OF THE WORKFORCE IS ESSENTIAL IF WE ÅRE ΤΟ MAXIMISE MOTIVATION, PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY WHICH 13 IN THE INTERESTS OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

"THE GOVERNMENT'S CONCERN IS TO PROVIDE OUR WORKFORCE WITH BETTER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT IN A SAFER AND HEALTHIER WORKING ENVIRONMENT," HE STRESSED.

MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT DURING THE PAST 10 YEARS, OVER 100 PIECES OF LABOUR LEGISLATION WERE ENACTED UNDER A POLICY OF A LEVEL OF SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE BROADLY EQUIVALENT TO HONG . KONG S NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AT A SIMILAR STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT.

ACHIEVING THAT OF ECONOMIC

HE SAID IN FUTURE, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO IMPROVE HONG KONG'S LABOUR LEGISLATION HAVING CAREFUL REGARD TO THE INTEREST9 OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, SOCIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS, AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC EFFECT AND IMPLICATIONS.

TURNING TO TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES, MR CHẲN THE GOVERNMENT RELIED HEAVILY ON PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION, CO-OPERATION AND ADVICE.

SAID

"THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT, AND DOES NOT, ACT ALONE IN DEVISING AND IMPLEMENTING OUR HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES, HE SAID.

**

/HE POINTED

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