บา
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1981
MR CHAN NOTED THAT THERE WERE DIFFERENCES IN OPINION ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN, RANGING FROM TWO AS RECOMMENDED BY THE WORKING GROUP TO THREE AS INTRODUCED IN THIS BILL, AND TO THE UNLIMITED NUMBER AS ADVOCATED BY THOSE ON SOCIAL AND OTHER GROUNDS.
BUT HE OPINED THAT WORKERS WERE FREE TO HAVE AS MANY CHILDREN AS THEY DESIRED LONG BEFORE MATERNITY BENEFITS WERE INTRODUCED, AND THEY ARE HAVING AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS FREEDOM AFTER PAID MATERNITY BENEFITS ARE LEGISLATED.
+ IT IS THEREFORE THEIR HEALTH CONDITIONS, THE IR SENSE OF DUTY TOWARDS THEIR FAMILY PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHINESE CULTURE, AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SHOULDER THE LONG YEARS OF RESPONSIBILITY IN BRINGING UP AND EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN AS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS, BUT NOT DELINQUENTS, WHICH MAINLY LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN RESPONSIBLE PARENTS WISH TO HAVE.
+WHEN ONE COMPARES THESE HEAVY AND AWESOME RESPONSIBILITIES WITH THE MATERNITY BENEFITS GIVEN, EVEN WITHOUT ANY LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN, THE LATTER WILL NOT AFFECT MATERIALLY THE WORKERS' DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
MOREOVER, MR CHAN CONTINUED, IN ASKING FOR MATERNITY BENEF ITS FOR AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF CHILDREN, ONE MUST BEAR IN MIND THAT THESE BENEFITS ARE PAID BY THE EMPLOYERS.
HE QUOTED STATISTICS TO SHOW THAT AN AVERAGE OF 96 PER CENT OF ALL ESTABLISHMENTS IN HONG KONG ARE SMALL IN SIZE AND ARE THEREFORE MOSTLY OF LIMITED MEANS TO COPE WITH AN OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENT FOR MATERNITY BENEFITS.
+LET US REMEMBER, SIR, THAT IT IS ALWAYS EASY TO IMPROVE ON EXISTING BENEFITS BUT WHEN UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES OR OTHER SIDE-EFFECTS APPEAR, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT CUT-BACKS.
+ IT IS THEREFORE ADVISABLE TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS BILL AS THEY STAND AND REVIEW THE RESULTS PERIODICALLY AND MAKE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS WHEN THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY PERMITS, + HE SAID.
IN REPLY, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON J.N. HENDERSON, SAID THE PROVISIONS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO REGULAR REVIEW BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IN THE SAME WAY AS ALL OTHER ITEMS OF LABOUR LEGISLATION.
MR HENDERSON THANKED THE UNOFFICIALS FOR THE IR SUPPORT AND SAID THE BILL REPRESENTED A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN LABOUR LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG.
MR HENDERSON POINTED OUT THAT IN ENACTING LABOUR LEGISLATION IN THE PAST, THE NORMAL PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO ESTABLISH THE PRINCIPLE FIRST AND THEN TO REVIEW THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS REGULARLY AND TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AS AND WHEN NECESSARY, IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS.
16