XN000022-1991-10-29 — Page 20

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1991

BARMA

DURING THE 1970'S, MR

SAID THE TERM NON-INTERVENTIONISM' WAS USED TO CHARACTERISE THIS APPROACH.

"UNFORTUNATELY, THIS PHRASE IS TOO OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD.

'POSITIVE

ΤΟ

"IT CAN GIVE THE IMPRESSION, PERHAPS ESPECIALLY INDUSTRIALISTS SEEKING A MORE ACTIVE INDUSTRIAL POLICY, THAT THE GOVERNMENT SIMPLY SITS THERE AND DOES NOTHING, AND CONCEALS THE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IN ORDER TO CREATE THE GENERALLY FAVOURABLE INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT WHICH HONG KONG ENJOYS, HE SAID.

AS REGARDS THE ROLE OF THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, MR BARMA SAID PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE THE DEPARTMENT PLAYED WAS ΤΟ ACT AS INDUSTRY'S LOBBYIST WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT.

"A LARGE PART OF OUR WORK INVOLVES MAKING SURE THAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING LAND, ACCOMMODATION, PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND MANPOWER TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY DO SO AT THE RIGHT TIME, IN THE RIGHT PLACE, AND IN THE RIGHT QUANTITIES, HE SAID.

WAS A GATHER

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MOST OF THE TIME THIS STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS, IN WHICH THE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE WAS TO ACCURATE INFORMATION ON WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE MANUFACTURING AND TO MAKE INFORMED FORECASTS OF MANUFACTURING TRENDS AS AN INPUT INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS.

SECTOR

"BOTH WITH LAND AND WITH TRAINED MANPOWER FOR INDUSTRY, WE TRY TO LOOK ONLY FOUR OR FIVE YEARS

AHEAD, SO THAT OUR FORECASTS ARE REALISTIC EXTRAPOLATIONS FROM EXISTING TRENDS, AND NOT FANCIFUL PROJECTIONS.

WE

HAVE

TO ALERT THE

"OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOT OFTEN, ADMINISTRATION TO POTENTIAL PROBLEMS, SO THAT THEY CAN BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THEY BECOME SERIOUS, HE SAID.

||

TO ENSURE THAT

MR BARMA SAID THE DEPARTMENT ALSO ENDEAVOURED RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY WERE AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG FOR COMPANIES WHICH WISHED TO UPGRADE THEIR PRODUCTION то DO So, AND THE DEPARTMENT HELPED MANUFACTURERS TO MAKE USE OF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH A SMALL INDUSTRIAL EXTENSION SERVICE.

"ANOTHER ASPECT OF OUR WORK IS ACHIEVE HIGH STANDARDS OF QUALITY IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.

TO ENCOURAGE COMPANIES ΤΟ MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS AND

"PUT AT ITS SIMPLEST, WE AIM ΤΟ ENSURE THAT HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS KNOW WHAT PRODUCT STANDARDS HAVE TO BE COMPLIED WITH IN THEIR EXPORT MARKETS AND TO ENSURE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY EXISTS LOCALLY TO ENABLE THEM TO MEET THESE STANDARDS.

"WE HAVE THEREFORE ESTABLISHED A RANGE OF QUALITY SERVICES WHICH CAN BE USED BY LOCAL MANUFACTURERS,

HE SAID.

SUPPORT

/FINALLY, MR

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