XN000022-1992-12-07 — Page 9

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1992

WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE FAVOURABILITY OF A LIST OF 12 FACTORS WHICH, BY AND LARGE, MADE UP THE OVERALL INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT OF HONG KONG AS A MANUFACTURING BASE, NINE OUT OF THE 12 FACTORS WERE CONSIDERED BY MORE THAN HALF OF

THE RESPONDENTS TO ВЕ FAVOURABLE.

"BANKING AND FINANCIAL FACILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, HONG KONG'S REGIONAL LOCATION AND GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC POLICY WERE THE KEY FACTORS SEEN AS MOST FAVOURABLE.

FACTORS

"THE SURVEY ALSO CONFIRMED SEVERAL COMMONLY RECOGNISED AS CAUSING CONCERN, SUCH AS LABOUR COST, AND THE COST OF FACTORY AND OFFICE SPACE, HE SAID.

"I

CONSIDERED

MR BARMA ADDED THAT 60 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS THE OVERALL MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG WAS FAVOURABLE.

THAT

"THIS IS ENCOURAGING. 169 COMPANIES INDICATED PLANS FOR EXPANSION IN HONG KONG."

32 PER CENT

=

ALSO

WHEN ASKED WHAT SORT OF BUSINESS THEY WOULD EXPECT IN THE COMING FEW YEARS, THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPANIES, SOME 350 COMPANIES OR 66 PER CENT, EXPECTED BUSINESS IN 1992 TO BE SATISFACTORY TO GOOD.

A TOTAL OF 280 COMPANIES ABOUT BUSINESS PROSPECTS IN 1993.

+

53 PER CENT

FELT THE SAME

REQUEST FOR COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY REJECTED

* *

THE GOVERNOR TODAY (MONDAY) REJECTED THE REQUEST FROM THE STAFF OF THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL (SCSC) FOR A COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY TO REVIEW THE 1992 PAY ADJUSTMENT.

SIDE

THE DECISION WAS CONVEYED IN A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, TO THE STAFF SIDE CHAIRMAN OF THE SCSc.

A

IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, THE STAFF SIDE OF THE SCSC PUT FORTH FORMAL REQUEST FOR A COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY TO ADJUDICATE ON CIVIL SERVANTS' DEMAND FOR A SUPPLEMENTARY PAY AWARD OF 3.52 PER CENT, PURPORTED TO BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NET PAY TREND AND THE ACTUAL PAY AWARDS IN 1990 AND 1991.

INDICATORS

IN HIS REPLY, SIR DAVID REITERATED THAT IT IS

++

A MATTER OF SETTLED PUBLIC POLICY THAT EACH PAY ADJUSTMENT IS A SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT EXERCISE BASED ON CONSIDERATIONS PERTAINING то THE PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES",

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT "IN DETERMINING THE SIZE OF EACH YEAR'S PAY ADJUSTMENT, THE RESULTS OF THE PAY TREND SURVEY TOGETHER WITH OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS INCREASES IN THE COST OF LIVING, THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY AND BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS ARE ALSO TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT".

/THE 1992