5
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1980
HE FELT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO REJOIN THE WORKFORCE AS THE LABOUR FORCE OF HONG KONG MUST HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR MUST EMPLOY HIGH TECHNOLOGY.
ONE OF THE BEST FORMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT HE SAID WAS BY GRANTING TAX ALLOWANCES FOR THOSE WORKING MARRIED WOMEN, THUS INSPIRING THEM TO REJOIN THE WORKFORCE.
+THE GRANTING OF SUCH AN ALLOWANCE MAY ALSO GO A LONG WAY TO RESOLVING THE CONTROVERSY OF WHETHER A MARRIED COUPLE SHOULD BE ASSESSED SEPARATELY AND ALSO ON PERSONAL ALLOWANCE.+
MR WONG ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE ALARMINGLY HIGH+ NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA.
THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE NOT ONLY GENERATED A DEMAND FOR LARGE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, THEY ALSO CONSTITUTE A THREAT TO LAW AND ORDER, HE SAID.
THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT THEY HAVE RELATIVELY LOW PRODUCTIVITY AND THEREFORE CANNOT CONTRIBUTE MUCH TO THE VARIOUS SECTORS OF HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
MR WONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REVISE ITS CURRENT POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OVERSTAYERS WITH A VIEW TO REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SUCH PEOPLE.
+ IT SHOULD ALSO APPROPRIATE ADEQUATE FUNDS TO STRENGTHEN THE MILITARY AND POLICE FORCES SO AS TO STOP POTENTIAL ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS.
+HOWEVER, MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, THE CHINESE AND BRITISH AUTHORITIES SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE GREAT ANXIETIES OF THE RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG ARISING FROM THE LARGE INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS AND THE UNDESIRABLE EFFECT IT MIGHT BRING TO THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION OF HONG KONG,+ HE ADDED.
MR WONG BELIEVED THAT THROUGH FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS AND CO-OPERATION AMONG THE GOVERNMENTS OF CHINA, BRITAIN AND HONG KONG, A MORE SATISFACTORY SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND.
ON THE SUBJECT OF INFLATION, MR WONG URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO DISCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY'S DESIRE TO CONSUME AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SAVE.
HE PROPOSED TWO WAYS TO ACHIEVE THIS:
* TO GRANT SMALL SAVERS, SAY NOT EXCEEDING $100 000, SOME
FORM OF CONCESSION, FOR EXAMPLE, EXEMPTION FROM INTEREST TAX.
* FOR INDIVIDUALS WHOSE INTEREST EARNINGS DO NOT EXCEED
$15 000 A YEAR FROM FIXED DEPOSITS, TO REPORT THIS TO THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY COULD BE ALLOWED TO TREAT THE INTEREST TAX ALREADY DEDUCTED BY THE BANKS AS PART OF THEIR PAID-UP TAX.
TURNING TO