WEDNESDA · JULY 10, 1985
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+IT CONTINUES TO BE OUR POLICY TO PERMIT ONLY ONE FUTURES EXCHANGE TO OPERATE IN HONG KONG IN WHICH MAJOR INTERESTED PARTIES BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE AND BE REPRESENTED IN ITS MANAGEMENT.
+THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO WISH TO BE REASSURED THAT THE EXCHANGE IS PROPERLY MANAGED AND OPERATED AND THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC ARE FULLY SAFEGUARDED, HE SAID.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
BILL TO PROTECT HK WORKERS OVERSEAS
*****
THE CONTRACTS FOR OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL SOUGHT TO PROVIDE FOR A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF A FINE OF $50 000 FOR AN EMPLOYER OR HIS AGENT WHO EITHER FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE HIMSELF OR SOLICITED OR INDUCED A WORKER TO LEAVE HONG KONG TO TAKE UP EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT COMPLYING WITH THE ORDINANCE, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON DARWIN CHEN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE WERE THE RESULT OF A REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE FOLLOWING A DISPUTE AFFECTING HONG KONG WORKERS IN SRI LANKA LAST YEAR, HE SAID.
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE CONTRACTS FOR OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHEN SAID THE MAIN WEAKNESS OF THE PRESENT ORDINANCE WAS THAT IT DID NOT PROVIDE FOR ANY PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE.
HE SAID BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF TAKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST EMPLOYERS WHO WERE NOT RESIDENT IN HONG KONG, THE BILL PROPOSED THAT THE ORDINANCE SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO EMPLOYERS' AGENTS IN HONG KONG, AND THE IR LIABILITY TO PROSECUTION HAD BEEN MADE CLEAR IN THE BILL.
A LABOUR DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT PERSONS RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS AND OTHER PUBLICITY REGARDING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE HONG KONG SHOULD IN THEIR OWN INTEREST CHECK WHETHER THE EMPLOYER IS LOCALLY BASED, OR REPRESENTED BY A LOCAL AGENT.
IF NEITHER WAS THE CASE, THE JOB-SEEKER SHOULD CHECK WITH THE OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.
THE BILL ALSO PROVIDED FOR THE AMENDMENT OF A NUMBER OF EXPRESSIONS WHICH WERE EITHER OUT-OF-DATE OR MISLEADING, INCLUDING RETITLING THE ORDINANCE AS THE CONTRACTS FOR EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE HONG KONG ORDINANCE+ IN ORDER TO REMOVE ANY POSSIBLE AMBIGUITY IN THE EXPRESSION +OVERSEAS+.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
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