XN000022-1993-05-07 — Page 11

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FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1993

RECENTLY, THE TAXI TRADE HAS SEPARATELY PROPOSED THAT TAXIS BE ALLOWED то TAKE PASSENGERS INTO LOK MA CHAUL FOR CROSS-BORDER PASSENGERS. A VISIT TO LOK MA CHAU HAS ALSO BEEN ARRANGED TOMORROW FOR THE TRADE'S REPRESENTATIVES TO SEE THE PROPOSED SITE FOR A PUBLIC TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID THE VISITS WERE AIMED AT IDENTIFYING POTENTIALLY SUITABLE SITES AND OTHER RELATED PRACTICAL ISSUES, THE TWO PROPOSALS WILL THEN BE FURTHER CONSIDERED BY THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED.

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INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FOR 1992

* * *

THE INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION LAST YEAR INCREASED SLIGHTLY BY 1.6% OVER THE PRECEDING YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THE PAPER PRODUCTS AND PRINTING INDUSTRY CONTINUED TO PROSPER WITH A DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH OF 16.9% IN PRODUCTION.

THE TEXTILES INDUSTRY AND THE INDUSTRY GROUP OF FOOD, BEVERAGE AND TOBACCO EXPERIENCED MODEST GROWTH OF 4.2% AND 5.4% RESPECTIVELY IN 1992.

OVERALL PRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRY GROUP OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS, MACHINERY, PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT AND OPTICAL GOODS INCREASED SLIGHTLY BY 2%.

BUT THE PERFORMANCE OF INDIVIDUAL, INDUSTRIES WITHIN THIS GROUP VARIED GREATLY, WITH THE PRODUCTION OF MACHINERY EQUIPMENT, APPARATUS, PARTS AND COMPONENTS RISING MARKEDLY BY 15.2% AND THAT OF CONSUMER ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS DROPPING BY 3.8%.

PRODUCTION OF THE WEARING APPAREL INDUSTRY SEEMED ΤΟ RAVE ARRESTED FROM THE DROP IN 1991 AND REBOUNDED SLIGHTLY BY 0.9% IN 1992.

ON THE OTHER HAND, PRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRY GROUP OF CHEMICALS, RUBBER, PLASTIC AND NON-METALLIC MINERAL PRODUCTS CONTINUED TO DECLINE, BY 4.7% OVER THE PRECEDING YEAR.

THE DECREASE WAS MAINLY

ATTRIBUTABLE ΤΟ A FALL IN THE

PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC PRODUCTS.

A SIMILAR DECREASE OF 4.5% WAS ALSO RECORDED IN THE BASIC METALS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY.

1992

THE INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF INCREASED SLIGHTLY RY 1.5% OVER THE SAME QUARTER OF 1991.

/COMPARING WITH