The senior partner of accounting firm Ernst & Young, Brian Stevenson, has called for an urgent review of Hong Kong's overall standing in the information technology stakes as part of a 10-point plan to boost Hong Kong's service sector.
Mr Stevenson told an American Chamber of Commerce function that there was a 'remarkable consensus of views' among business representatives that Hong Kong urgently needed to upgrade its information infrastructure and enhance its ability in the overall application of information technology.
'Having said that, I think probably at present we have an excellent infrastructure, and the key lies in our application of information technology,' he said.
Mr Stevenson has urged that 'government at the highest level should start formulating a policy on a national information infrastructure'.
The Ernst & Young chief stressed the importance of continued vigilance in ensuring the competitiveness of the tax system to the continuation of Hong Kong's leading position as a service centre.
He acknowledged the contention that Hong Kong had the region's most competitive tax system, but added this alone was not enough.