ENG-1966 — Page 80

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTIVITY

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The problem of improving industrial productivity in Hong Kong is one of concern both to the government and to private enterprise, and substantial progress was made during the year towards the establishment of a statutory Productivity Council and a Productivity Centre. Legislation to provide for the former was introduced in December 1966, and the formal establishment of the council itself was expected to follow in January 1967. The council will comprise a chairman and up to 20 members, all appointed by the Governor, of whom 10 will represent management, labour, and academic and professional interests, and not more than 10 will represent government departments closely associated with produc- tivity matters. In anticipation of the necessary legislation, an interim Productivity Secretariat and Productivity Centre was established in April 1966, under the guidance and control of the Provisional Productivity Council (established in May 1965), to deal with the growing volume of productivity training being undertaken both inside and outside the Colony. Productivity training inside the Colony continued to be undertaken by the Hong Kong Management Association. However, the newly established Productivity Centre took over some of the work involved in the despatch of study missions to overseas countries and the nomination of individuals for overseas courses. It is expected that the activities of the Pro- ductivity Centre will expand considerably next year when an executive director is appointed.

Hong Kong is one of the 12 member countries of the Asian Productivity Organization, whose object is co-operation amongst Asian countries to raise productivity. Hong Kong was represented at the 6th workshop meeting of directors of national productivity centres, and at the 7th meeting of the governing body of the Asian Productivity Organization, both these meetings being held in Tokyo in April. As in previous years, a considerable number of Hong Kong nominees participated during the year in study missions, seminars, symposia and training courses of different kinds in various Asian countries, mainly Japan. Additionally, two seminars sponsored by the Asian Productivity Organization were held in Hong Kong during the year, under the aegis of the Hong Kong Government and the Hong Kong Management Association.