The debate on the Motion of Thanks for this year's policy address continued
for the second day yesterday, with the legislators focusing on economic, labour
and financial, educational and environmental issues.
The first session, however, was turned to a debate on minimum wage.
Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip said the wage
protection movement was the best alternative for the time being.
"It signals a major step forward in protection of the workers at grassroots
level," he said. "Many legislators feel it is very difficult to launch the
movement. But the fact that the government is willing to take on such difficult
task fully reflects our determination and sincerity not to run away from
difficult things."
Ip further said it was stated in the policy address that the government would
review the movement two years after the implementation, i.e. October 2008,
preceded by an interim review next year and if the movement does not work well,
the government will proceed to legislation for the minimum wage.
Liberal Party chairman James Tien said the business sector had supported the
wage protection movement for the cleaning workers and security guards. Yet he
was unhappy that "the government had suddenly changed its mind" by agreeing to
review the policy just one year after its implementation instead of two years as
earlier stated.
Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Chan Yuen-han denied she had
changed her stance and supported the government on the minimum wage issue,
saying that there was nothing wrong in making a breakthrough by persuading the
government to review the Wage Protection Movement one year after its
implementation instead of two years.
Stephen Lam
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam criticized the Democratic
Party's Martin Lee for obsession mindset on mainland-Hong Kong economic
cooperation.
Closer ties on cross-boundary infrastructure will not affect Hong Kong as an
international finance, trade, shipping centre but will strengthen flows of
passenger, capital, goods between the two places, he said.
"The Shenzhen River between the two places is not an insulator for we should
strive for bigger space for development under 'one country, two systems'," he
said.
Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology Joseph Wong said the
government would offer financial support to the filming industry, provided that
public money would be properly used and such kind of support would benefit both
the industry and Hong Kong.
The focus of the latter part of yesterday's debate on the policy address was
education, home affairs, housing, transport and environment issues, with most
legislators commenting on the "education voucher system" and the financial
incentives for owners to replace their old vehicles with Euro-IV models.
The Democratic Party's Cheung Man-kwong, who also represents the education
constituency, said the HK$2 billion subsidy for pre-school education would
fulfill the dream of the childhood education sector for 15 years.
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