XN000022-1992-10-28 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28,

1992

20

WHO

THOSE WORKERS HAVE BECOME AND WHO

THE EMPLOYEES RETRAINING SCHEME IS TARGETED AT HAVE DISPLACED FROM THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEIR SKILLS REDUNDANT AS A RESULT OF STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY, NEED SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS IN ORDER TO EMPLOYMENT, HE SAID.

TO

FIND NEW

RECENTLY 31,000 PERIOD HAD

THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A SPECIAL SURVEY CONDUCTED QUANTIFY THE SIZE OF THIS TARGET GROUP INDICATED THAT SOME WORKERS HAD BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR JOBS DURING THE 12-MONTH ENDING JUNE THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEIR FORMER EMPLOYERS' BUSINESSES CLOSED DOWN OR MOVED ELSEWHERE OR BECAUSE THEIR JOBS HAD REDUNDANT.

HOWEVER,

BEEN MADE

ΤΟ SECURE OF THEM HAD

THE MAJORITY OF THESE WORKERS HAD MANAGED NEW EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THREE MONTHS. ONLY ABOUT 10,000 REMAINED UNEMPLOYED FOR THREE MONTHS OR LONGER.

IT

IS RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THIS GROUP AT PRESENT REVIEW THE DEMAND REGULARLY, HE SAID.

BILLS

DEALING WITH

AND

LABOUR SESSION, SCHEME FOR OF EX-GRATIA

MR CHAN ALSO NOTED A NUMBER OF MATTERS WHICH WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN THE COUNCIL'S CURRENT INCLUDING DRAFT LEGISLATION TO INSTITUTE A COMPENSATION

LOSS AND TO INCREASE THE LEVEL NOISE-INDUCED HEARING PAYMENT.

STI ELABORATES ON COMPETITION POLICY

* *

CHAU,

TODAY

THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH (WEDNESDAY) EXPANDED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE COMPETITION POLICY AND THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUSINESS COUNCIL.

THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON ADDRESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHAU SAID ENHANCING COMPETITION AND PROVIDING MORE PROTECTION TO CONSUMERS DID NOT NECESSARILY HAD BE AT THE EXPENSE OF INHIBITING COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS GROWTH.

FOR

CITING EXAMPLES IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR, HE SAID

ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT HAD RECENTLY INVITED APPLICATIONS FIXED TELECOMS NETWORK LICENCES.

ΤΟ

THE LOCAL

THE AND FAX COMPANY'S ΤΟ COVER

THE LICENCES ARE TO BE ISSUED IN COMPETITION WITH THAT OF

DATA PROVIDE INITIALLY TO COMPANY, HONG

TELEPHONE KONG

OF THE TELEPHONE SERVICES AND THEN, BEYOND THE EXPIRY FRANCHISE OVER LOCAL FIXED NETWORK VOICE TELEPHONY IN 1995, THIS SECTOR AS WELL, HE ADDED.

FRANCHISE

IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HE SAID A NEW BUS

HAD RECENTLY BEEN FOR A PACKAGE OF 26 ROUTES ON HONG KONG ISLAND AWARDED TO A NEW OPERATOK THROUGH COMPETITIVE TENDER.

/"THE GOVERNMENT

+