XN000022-1992-01-17 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1992

NOTING THAT THE YEARS AHEAD WOULD BRING NEW CHALLENGES FOR THE DEPARTMENT, SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG WAS IN A PERIOD OF RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE AND THE SOCIETY NEEDED THE SUPPORT OF A HUMANE, DISCIPLINED AND WELL-TRAINED CORRECTIONAL SERVICE.

"I AM CONFIDENT THAT IT HAS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE, THAT SUPPORT, HE SAID.

H

AT THE INSPECTION,

THE

GOVERNOR PRESENTED COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDALS TO 42 OFFICERS TO MARK THEIR 18 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE WITH THE DEPARTMENT.

GOVT TO ADOPT MORE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO RETRAINING

*

THE GOVERNMENT WILL ADOPT A MORE SYSTEMATIC AND STRUCTURED APPROACH IN PROVIDING RETRAINING FOR LOCAL WORKERS, SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

DINNER

ADDRESSING A GROUP OF MANAGERS AT THE ANNUAL FELLOWSHIP OF THE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CLUB THIS EVENING, MR CHAN STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO MAKING THE NEW APPROACH WORK BECAUSE IT IS CONVINCED THAT THIS APPROACH WILL, IN THE LONG TERM, BENEFIT THE LOCAL WORKFORCE AND HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AS A WHOLE.

IN DECIDING TO ADOPT THIS APPROACH, HE ADDED, THE GOVERNMENT HAD LISTENED TO THE VIEWS AND CONCERNS OF LABOUR REPRESENTATIVES TAKEN THEM INTO CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.

AND

HE APPEALED TO EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES, THE RELEVANT TRAINING AUTHORITIES AND EXPERTS IN MANAGEMENT то CONTRIBUTE ADVICE AND SUGGESTIONS AND HELP THE GOVERNMENT ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES.

"RETRAINING IS VERY MUCH AN ONGOING PROCESS AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALL ALONG RECOGNISED ITS IMPORTANCE," MR CHAN SAID.

"BUT WHAT IS NEW IS THAT

WE ARE NOW PUTTING

SPECIAL FOCUS AND GIVING IT GREATER IMPETUS.

RETRAINING IN

"WE ALSO WANT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES AND ACHIEVE A COMMON OBJECTIVE THROUGH 'PARTICIPATIVE MANAGEMENT' THE SECRETARY SAID.

J

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S PRIMARY CONCERN IS TO ASSIST IN-SERVICE WORKERS, WHOSE JOBS ARE BEING THREATENED, TO ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS OR TO UPGRADE THEIR EXISTING SKILLS, SO AS ΤΟ QUALIFY THEMSELVES EITHER FOR EMPLOYMENT IN ANOTHER TRADE OR FOR A HIGHER-LEVEL JOB IN THE SAME TRADE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT STARTING THIS YEAR, ATTENTION WILL BE FOCUSSED ON THIS GROUP OF WORKERS TO MAKE SURE THAT SUFFICIENT PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO THEIR TRAINING NEEDS, AND SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE SECTORS WITH HIGH VACANCY RATES SO THAT THE RETRAINING COURSES WILL BE TARGETED AT AREAS MOST IN NEED OF MANPOWER.

/ACCORDING TO