XN000022-1994-01-05 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1994

MR CHAU

POINTED OUT THAT NOTWITHSTANDING THE DECLINE OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF MANUFACTURING TO THE GDP, THE LOCAL MANUFACTURING SECTOR WAS TODAY PRODUCING, IN REAL TERMS, 80 PER CENT MORE THAN IT DID 10 YEARS AGO.

"INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG ARE MOVING UP-MARKET THROUGH IMPROVEMENT IN LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY, AUTOMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF MORE CAPITAL INTENSIVE, HIGHER TECHNOLOGY AND HIGHER VALUE ADDED MANUFACTURING, HE SAID.

***

THE RESTRUCTURING OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL BASE HAD UNLEASHED VALUABLE LAND AND MANPOWER RESOURCES IN HONG KONG FOR INDUSTRIES THAT REMAINED IN THE TERRITORY TO CONCENTRATE ON MORE INNOVATIVE, HIGHER VALUE ADDED, BETTER QUALITY AND MORE PROFITABLE PRODUCTS, HE ADDED.

"WE HAVE LOST LABOUR INTENSIVE, LOW VALUE ADDED PROCESSES, BUT HAVE GAINED SOPHISTICATED BUSINESSES THAT CAN COMPETE WITH THE WORLD ON THE BASIS OF QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY," HE SAID.

MR CHAU SAID THE NEED TO SUPPORT THE MUCH ENLARGED PRODUCTION BASE IN SOUTHERN CHINA HAD RESULTED IN RAPID ADVANCES IN OTHER SECTORS OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMY, SUCH AS TRADING, TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATIONS, FINANCING AND EVEN TOURISM.

HOWEVER,

HE NOTED,

THAT THERE WAS NO

THAT EVIDENCE

STRUCTURAL CHANGES

KONG'S HAD DONE ANYTHING TO DIMINISH HONG COMPETITIVENESS IN THE WORLD MARKET.

THESE PRICE

"OVERALL, OUR INDUSTRY HAS BEEN CHANGING MR CHAU SAID.

TO OUR

ADVANTAGES,

"

STUDY ON LANDFILL RESTORATION CONTRACTS

*

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) HAS COMMISSIONED A CONSULTANT TO LOOK INTO ISSUES COMMON TO ALL LANDFILLS IN HONG KONG AND TO PRODUCE A DESIGN, BUILD AND OPERATE (DBO) CONTRACT DOCUMENT FOR THEIR RESTORATION.

THE DOCUMENT WILL BE USED AS THE BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL RESTORATION CONTRACTS FOR THE VARIOUS SITES.

LANDFILL

THE AGREEMENT FOR THE STUDY WAS SIGNED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BETWEEN EPD'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MR MIKE STOKOE, AND A DIRECTOR OF SCOTT WILSON KIRKPATRICK, MR SIMON DAVIES.

THE DBO CONTRACTS, WHICH ARE EXPECTED ΤΟ LAST FOR 10 TO 15 YEARS, WILL REQUIRE THE CONTRACTORS TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT THE RESTORATION WORKS AND, FOLLOWING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, THE CONTRACTORS WILL BE REQUIRED TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE WORKS EVENTUALLY RETURNING THE SITES TO THE GOVERNMENT ONCE THE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN ATTAINED.

BEFORE REQUIRED

/AN EPD