HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
135
According to statistics, there are 30 UC Projects under construction in April 1995. Excluding the technical and building services staff, we have got about 600 plus workers on our construction sites. I understand that 2 of our contractors do employ overseas workers but the number was only 11 which accounted for 1.8% of the total number of workers on our worksites. There should not be much difficulties in implementing the policy stated in my motion. On the other hand, we have contracted out a large number of our tasks, including the cleansing of parks, markets, public toilets and streets. If such companies also employ overseas workers, the employment opportunities of the workers in Hong Kong would be much affected. The USD should therefore take the lead to impose restrictions on our contractors in recruiting workers so that other Government departments and other organizations can follow.
I do understand earlier on, the Regional Council discussed a similar motion at their previous monthly meeting and the motion was carried. I think we can follow the practice of the Regional Council to appoint a special Sub-committee to study the feasibility of the proposal. Just before I moved this a motion, I had consulted my colleagues who told me that the wordings of my motion might mean a total ban on overseas workers and thus cause technical difficulties. So I am glad to say that Mr. To Boon-man will later on move an amendment to my motion. It will be a very short amendment and I don't think it has to be printed out. In fact, the wording will be similar to that of mine except that it will restrict overseas workers to unskilled ones, in other words the amended motion would be 'RESOLVED that this Council when contracting out its services and construction works, stipulates in the tendering documents that contractors shall not employ unskilled overseas workers unless approved by the Council.'
We are very concerned about the 25 000 quota set for the general importation scheme of overseas workers which would have great impact in our local workers and thus I think we should take a lead to improve the situation in this regard. The most important element in my motion is 'unless approved by Council', which provides great flexibility for us to make regular reviews on our policy to see whether we can relax it a bit or strengthen it further. The right to monitor, control and approve the employment of overseas workers would rest with the UC. Members should not be over-worried about the wordings of the motion. We have only got 11 overseas workers out of a total of 600 odd workers on worksites. I have also consulted ASD, the working agent for the UC and USD who told me that there would not be great difficulties in banning the employment of all overseas workers since the ban would not mean a rise in tender prices. In fact the ASD has already given its answer to Mr. Lau, our Secretary. So I hope Members can pay attention to this point and support Mr. To's proposed amendment to the motion in other words, the restriction on unskilled overseas workers. With these remarks, I move my motion.
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese): Apart from refraining from the employment of unskilled overseas workers for UC Projects as said by Mr. Fred LI, emphasis should also be put on the contracting out of services for street and
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